Orphaned
by gredandforgerock
Summary: The battle has been won but at a terrible price. AU
1. Chapter 1

Ginny stood at the window in the Gryffindor common room that looked out over the front lawn of the school. The scene was alive with bolts of colored light zigzagging back and forth. It would have been beautiful if it wasn't a battle. She watched as the number of colors was slowly reduce to more green than any other color. Even our side is using unforgivables now she hoped thinking to herself. But her hope was to be dashed; the side of light didn't use the killing curse. She'd been watching for hours when it was down to only two. A large group of people surrounded the two warriors. She glanced to where the door should be it was still a solid wall. Harry had changed it when he left and as long as it was a wall he was alive.

She knew the last of the warriors would be Harry and Tom. When one of them won their side would win. Tom, that's what Ginny had called him since her first year. When you had someone camping out in your head for months you tended to go by first names. Most people called him You-Know-Who or some other title he had designed for himself but not her. He had introduced himself as Tom and that's what she'd call him.

As she stood there a growing light pulled her out of her thoughts and back down to the ground below. One of the two warriors was glowing pure white, that would be Harry she thought. She grew even more unhappy as the light grew because she knew he was using his last resort. He couldn't survive using it and Tom couldn't survive being hit by it. It continued to grow and she had to close her eyes, when that wasn't enough she turned her back to the window. Even with her hands over her eyes she knew when the light started to dim she moved to the door and waited impatiently for it to reappear.

It grew out of the wall quite suddenly but it only took her a second to react. She pelted out the door and sprinted through the halls. If anyone could survive when not expected to it would be Harry. She needed to know. When she reached the front doors she stopped to pull them open set to run again as soon as she could get through. But when she slipped out she stopped again. The sight she couldn't see in the dark from the tower was now illuminated by her wand. Bodies, hundreds of bodies littered the ground. She couldn't run through that, she didn't want to step on anyone. So she carefully picked her way toward the last spot of light that was still dimming. When she reached him he was at the edge of a crater, unmoving except for his chest which was rising and falling with heavy laden breaths.

"Harry!"

"Gin. Check." Harry gasped his request.

Ginny summoned the body of Tom Riddle and checked for a pulse, even though touching him revolted her. She turned to him grinning, "You did it. And you survived. I love you so much."

"No." Harry coughed, "Die soon. Many?"

"I don't know. I didn't count on my way I wanted to get to you. But I didn't see any live Death Eaters." She tried to sound upbeat.

"Careful." Harry mumbled as his life force continued to flow away, "Love you."

"I love you too." Ginny had tears falling down and hitting his face.

"Don't cry."

"Can't stop them now."

"Love…" Harry's life left his body before he could tell her again how much he loved her. Ginny fell onto his body and cried. She cried for all that had been lost, hours went by and she fell into an exhausted sleep. The rising sun woke her up. At least she had thought it was the sun until she heard a shuffling noise off to one side. She stood crouched over Harry's body as the sound drew nearer. Her wand was out and she was ready to attack. When the maker of the noise finally reached her Ginny was shocked. It was a female house elf. A Hogwarts house elf to be exact.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked.

"Separating them." Was her answer.

"Why?"

"Must heal the hurt ones." she said.

"What's your name?" Ginny was curious.

"Cookie."

"I'm Ginny. Where are the others?"

"We's is all that's left. The hurt ones and us." Cookie said.

"Even the house elves?" Ginny asked concerned.

"I is all that's left."

Ginny was shocked. Hogwarts had a hundred or more house elves and they were all gone, "I'm going to take Harry's body inside and then set up a hospital area. I think it's a good idea to do all this in the Great Hall. We'll put the bodies in the empty class rooms to the left and right. Can you tell the dark wizards from the light ones?"

"Yes Missy." Cookie said, "I put light in right and dark in left ok?"

"That's great. Anyone who's hurt bring to me. Light and dark ones." Ginny said.

"No dark one's be alive." Cookie said, "They all be tied to the darkest. When he die he take them with him."

"Good no moral dilemma on who to save first." Ginny commented. She took Harry's body and found a place in the room on the right and left his body. She stifled a sob as she left for the hospital wing. In the hospital she found seven injured or sick people. With Madam Pomfrey gone she would need to check on them. As it was still early they could wait. Ginny grabbed a tray and filled it with necessary potions and left the room.

By the time she got back to the Great Hall two people were already on Slytherin's table and Cookie was floating in a third, "I'm going to need some help. Can you pop to St. Mungo's and get us some help?"

"I'll be trying Missy." Cookie said as she set down her latest injured wizard. She popped away and was back in a few minutes crying, "No one there. All dead."

Ginny hugged the distraught elf and said, "Don't worry we'll be fine. I'll just get a few owls to deliver some letters."

"I can be sending the owls to you here." Cookie said, "How many yous wanting?"

"Let's do about a hundred if we can. I'll write a letter and make copies." Ginny said pulling a quill and parchment from the tray full of vials. She quickly wrote a plea for help from anyone capable promising shelter and food if they would come. Almost as an afterthought she said that Voldemort had been defeated by Harry. She made a hundred copies and the owls started to arrive.

"I told them we's needing big help so they know to look for any powerful magic." Cookie said. Together they gave each owl a letter and watched them fly off then went back to work. Ginny stabilized the three she had and then went to help Cookie find others.

"You's being needed at the gates. Helps arriving." Cookie said.

"But I don't know how to open the gates." Ginny said.

"You's the Headmistress. Just tells them to open." Cookie replied.

"I'm what?"

"Headmistress. No one else can be." Cookie said as she floated a body into the school.

Ginny ran to the gates and was happy to see many people. Then she noticed some were in bad shape. She sighed; she wanted help and got more work why was she surprised. She applied sonorous to her voice and said, "I'm going to open the gates in a moment. I would like you to enter but stay near so I can talk to you before we go up to the school." She then opened the gate and people calmly walked in. When all had entered she closed the gates and addressed the crowd, "Are there any healers or people with some healing skill?" Several hands went up, "Good I'll need you in the Great Hall and Hospital wing. Battle injured are in the Great Hall check there first. Please go lives may depend on you." The group took off running and then Ginny said, "I would like someone to stay at the gates and watch for more people to come."

"I can do that." A man said, "I just came to lend a hand, I'm not much with magic but I can work hard."

"Excellent what's your name?"

"Martin. Shay Martin."

"Thanks Mr. Martin. Send Healers and injured to the Great Hall for now everyone else can help retrieve bodies." Ginny said, "To open the gates just touch them and ask them to open. Will you try that now before I leave?" The man did it and it worked. He closed them back. "Great I'll send someone to relieve you as soon as I can. For now just let everyone in, we'll have to set up more security measures later."

"What about us?" Another man asked, "We came to help."

"For now help one of the injured get to the Great Hall. Then we'll need help separating the bodies and getting them inside. We don't want any scavengers coming out of the forest." Ginny said. The group followed along behind Ginny up to the castle. As they got close bodies started being floated along with them. At the door Cookie met them. "Cookie stay here at the door and tell them to go to the left or right room please."

"Yes Headmistress." Cookie replied.

Ginny took a deep breath and walked into the Great Hall. The injured were placed on spots along the tables. The most critically injured were on the Slytherin table while the least injured were on the Gryffindor table. Healers worked at each of the four tables. As more people arrived Ginny had to find other jobs for them to do. She set up a kids room and some people to watch them. She sent others to the kitchens to start lunch. Ginny grabbed a picnic basket and loaded it up and took it to the gates. Three men now sat with Mr. Martin and she sat the basket down.

"I need to set up a schedule for a gate watcher. I want the gate to open when someone needs it regardless of the time of day or night." Ginny said, "Do you think two men for a six hour shift would be ok?"

"Yes Miss… " One of the men started.

"Weasley, Ginny Weasley." She replied.

"Any relation to Charlie?" he asked.

"My older brother." she smiled sadly.

"Have you seen him?" He asked, "I wouldn't mind talking to him for a bit, I haven't seen him since school. I always thought he was an alright kind of guy."

"I'm sorry but he didn't make it." Ginny said almost in tears.

"Oh. I'm so sorry."

She only nodded in reply and turned to walk away. Before she got out of earshot she turned around, "Thanks for asking after him. It's good to know he was well liked."

Cookie again met Ginny at the door, "All are separated. Even the darkest evil. I wish we could leave him out."

"I know but the leaders of the government will want to see that he is dead." Ginny said, "Then we may just feed him to the wolves."

"Yes Missy." Cookie replied.

"Why do you sometimes call me Missy and other times Headmistress?" Ginny asked.

"You's is my mistress and that's when I call you Missy. Headmistress is so those others know who to respect." Cookie said.

"Oh." Ginny said shocked.

"You's is needing to rest and eat too." Cookie said as a healer walked up.

"Are you in charge?" he asked.

"She be Headmistress." Cookie corrected him.

"Oh, right. We've used all your potions. I'm going to run to St. Mungo's and get them to give me more." He stated.

"Sir, Cookie went to St. Mungo's first thing this morning. Everyone there is dead. That's why I sent a plea for help." Ginny said, "I'm sure you can get potions if they weren't all destroyed."

"I didn't know." he said, "Where can I find you when I get back."

"I's taking her to her office for rest." Cookie said defiantly.

Ginny smiled and said, "Thanks for taking care of me Cookie. Do you know the password?"

"Not having one now. You'll have to set it before going up." Cookie said.

"Alright, it will be Harry's Victory." She turned and walked away from the healer.

Ginny gave the gargoyle the password and she stepped onto the moving staircase that took her to the Headmasters office. To her it would always be Dumbledore's office. Upon entering the office she was accosted with questions from the portraits. Not really ready to answer them she stepped behind the desk as Cookie had instructed and she sat in the chair. The noise in the room halted.

"Ms. Weasley, what's happening?" Albus Dumbledore's portrait asked.

"Harry beat Voldemort. He's dead." She answered.

The portraits began to cheer and only stopped when Albus yelled for quiet, "Who is dead, Harry or Voldemort?"

"Both." she laid her head on the desk and cried. She stopped after a few moments and Cookie brought her lunch. She sat and stared at it mostly just pushing it around.

"Yous must be eating, Headmistress." Cookie said, "Yous needing strength to lead."

"Cookie, did you call her Headmistress?" Albus asked, when the elf nodded he asked, "Where are all the others?"

"Theys all gone Professor sir. Me and Missy is the only ones not dead or hurt."

"How many were hurt?" he asked.

"Twenty seven." Ginny said, "Professor Flitwick and Hagrid are the only staff still remaining." Ginny managed to eat close to half her lunch and then went to take a nap.

When she woke up she heard Cookie say, "Missy is resting… now you've woke her up. Yous not very nice."

"It's ok Cookie, I'm finished with my nap I'll be right out." Ginny sighed thinking this elf was more protective than all her brothers combined. That thought almost made her cry.

The healer who had gone for supplies was waiting when she reached the office, "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up. But we have an issue that you're needed for. When I was at St. Mungo's I ran across a man trying to find help. Now that he's here he won't shut up until he's talked to whoever's in charge."

"Alright let's go. Do you know who he is?" Ginny said.

"No, but I've only been back in England for few weeks. By the way I'm Mark Hill." he said as they left the office "I just realized we've not been introduced."

"Sorry, I'm Ginny Weasley." she said, "I think pleasantries are the first things dropped in an emergency."

"Very true. You're kind of young to be the Headmistress aren't you?" he asked.

"You think?" Her answer came out with quite a lot of sarcasm, "Sorry, that sounded less nice then it was intended. Cookie and I are the only ones from the battle that aren't either injured or dead. I'm Headmistress by default. And yes I think even someone who's almost seventeen is too young to lead a school."

"And a national recovery effort." Mark said.

"I'm not leading that."

"Yes you are. This is the new nerve center for the country and you're the leader here." he grinned.

"Great, I bet I'm the youngest interim Minister for Magic ever too." Ginny sighed.

Mark chuckled and pointed to a man in the Great Hall, "That's the man who wants to see you."

"Great that's exMinister Fudge. This isn't going to be pleasant." Ginny said. As she made her way across the room she noted all the injured had been moved out and the tables were filled with people eating or just talking. She thought most of the people in the school were in the room. "What can I do for you Mr. Fudge?

"Who are you?" the man asked belligerently.

"The person in charge that you needed to talk to." Ginny replied.

"Well I'm…" he started.

"I know who you are exMinister. What do you need?" she asked again.

"What is your name so that I know whom I am speaking to." he said.

"Ginny Weasley."

"Arthur Weasley's daughter?'

"Yes."

"Come now I need to know who is directing this effort. I've come to offer my services." he said.

"Excellent." Ginny said, "What I need for you to do is get to the ministry and start organizing transportation. I think it's essential that we find any orphaned magical kids and bring them here. We need to find families for them and not leave anyone to fend for themselves. We need to get the Knight Bus, the floo and portkey offices up and running."

"Wait." Fudge said flustered, "I meant that I would take over and run things."

"Well we have someone doing that. We don't have anyone…" Ginny tried to say.

"Oh, you think you are running this show. I beg to differ. We need someone with experience leading." Fudge said.

"You're right." Ginny smiled, "That's why you are going to organize our transportation. We've seen your kind of leadership before that's why we're in this mess to begin with. If you had listened to Dumbledore…"

"I think we need to let the people decide." Fudge interrupted.

"You are so right." Ginny said then jumped up on the table to her side, "Attention everyone. Mr. Fudge thinks we should hand the reins of the country back over to him. All in favor raise your hand." Not a single person raised their hand, "Thanks for your attention." She jumped down and said, "Now I am generously offering you the job of Head of the Department of Magical Transportation. Can you do that?"

"Fine. But you should also be contacting the Muggle Prime Minister. I could…" he said.

"That's not essential." Ginny interrupted, "What is essential is our transportation and our children. Get on that and report back when you have something."

"You, young lady are nothing like your father." Fudge said.

"You don't know much about my father." Ginny said, "Now find our orphans, I'm sure I'm not the only one."

"You.." Fudge stammered, "He's dead?"

"Yes along with the rest of my family." Ginny fought the tears and won. This idiot would not see her cry.

Fudge left and Mark approached her, "You took him down a few dozen pegs."

"I'm still holding a grudge. He really gave Harry a tough time a few years ago." Ginny said.

"Was that when he was saying Voldemort was back and Fudge was denying it?"

"Yes."

"He's as big an idiot as I thought then. He's kind of caused all this hasn't he?"

"In a way yes. His being an ostrich kept us from getting fully prepared." Ginny growled.

"Were you close to him? I mean Harry." Mark asked.

"We were going to get married." Ginny said, "He promised to ask after he defeated Voldemort. He didn't live long enough to ask though. He did get to tell me he loved me."

"Sorry I didn't know." Mark said.

"No one knew." She sighed, "He was afraid if Voldemort found out he would try to kill me. At this point I kind of wished..." Ginny shook herself, "Can't dwell on that now. More people will be coming when the Knight bus gets going. Do we need to get some people making potions?"

"Yes that's a good idea. I'll start asking around." Mark said.

"No need, we're all listening to you anyway." A lady at the next table said, "I'm rather handy with a cauldron, how are the ingredient stores?"

"I don't know. Why don't you and any of the others that are good with potions head down to the dungeons. Snape's class storage is in the cupboard at the back of the room. His personal stores are in his office behind the painting of the meadow." Ginny said.

"Right." the woman said, "I'm not going to ask how you know where is personal stores are. I've been in your brother's shop and I think I have a good idea. I really loved their Canary Creams."

"Thank you." Ginny smiled, a commotion from the door gained her attention before she could say any more, "Merlin, what's next."

"I need a healer here." it was Shay Martin from the gate.

Mark and Ginny ran to meet him. He was helping a black man up the steps. "Thank you Mr. Martin. We'll take him. Have you been relieved yet?"

"Yes ma'am." he responded, "He came just as I was heading in."

"Ok go eat and then rest."

As she was talking Healer Mark was looking at the injured man. He did a few healing spells and was getting ready to take him to the hospital wing when the man made him stop, "I need to speak to whomever's in charge."


	2. Chapter 2

"Ginny." Mark said.

"I heard him." Ginny replied, "How are you Kingsley."

"I'll be fine. Where's Minerva?"

"I'm sorry but she's dead. Flitwick and Hagrid are the only living members of the order and both are too injured to do anything. So it seems that I am Acting Headmistress and Interim Minister for Magic." Ginny said, "So what do you have for me?"

"Alright then Ms. Minister." Kingsley grinned, "It seems as though all who had the Dark Mark are dead."

"We know that." Ginny said, "When Voldemort died he took them with him."

"Who told you?"

"Cookie." when he looked confused Ginny said, "The only Hogwarts house elf still living. She's the one that said I was Headmistress and could operate the school gates and stuff. So far she's been right about everything. I've even had to set a password for the Headmaster's office."

"Ok, well then, there are still thugs running around looting and harassing people. The number of Aurors are very low. The majority were sent here. I was with the Muggle Prime Minister and we have an additional twenty at Azkaban and ten who were sleeping and never got notified about the battle. We have three in St. Mungo's that were injured last week so we should have thirty four with me."

"Unless they got out of the hospital before last night I wouldn't count on them." Ginny said.

"She's right." Mark said, "St. Mungo's was one of the places hit last night. Everyone who didn't get away is dead. Including patients."

"Have you checked on Azkaban?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, I was afraid they would break out some friends so I went there first." Kingsley said, "They were attacked but the attackers died five minutes into the fight. It was around midnight."

"That's about the time Voldemort was killed." Ginny said.

"Where were you?"

"Locked in Gryffindor tower for my protection. Harry even made the door disappear so I couldn't sneak out." Ginny looked a bit put out.

"Did he…"

"Harry killed him but it took that spell and he only lived for maybe ten minutes after." Ginny let one tear fall down her cheek, then she ruthlessly wiped it away, "Where are the ten who are rested?"

"Working the streets to stop the thugs. I told them to get help if they found any. Preferably Ministry employees in good standing. We don't want to have old snatcher groups trying to act as Aurors and start harassing people." Kingsley said.

"Good news." Ginny said, "Thanks for the update. Now go rest up, I'll be needing my Head of the DMLE as soon as you're fit."

"Yes Ms. Minister."

"Shut up and call me Ginny or you'll see that hex I'm famous for." Ginny grinned and walked away.

"Ms. Weasley." a woman called from down the hall and Ginny started towards her.

As the two men walked to the hospital wing Mark said, "Such an amazing young woman. Not even seventeen and she's leading a nation to recovery."

"But she's doing it to hide the hurt." Kingsley said, "I'm afraid she'll work herself to death."

"Don't worry. She has a personal house elf that will take anyone down who tries to mess with her." Mark said, "Earlier when a man wanted to talk to the person in charge I went to get her. I thought the elf was going to hurt me when Ginny woke up while I was there. "

"Is that the one named Cookie that she was talking about?" Kingsley asked.

"It is." Mark said.

"Well hurry up and patch me up. I need to be helping." Kingsley stated, "I need to find someone to start the floo system back up."

"She has that under control." Mark laughed, Kingsley looked at him wanting to know so he said, "Fudge tried to come in and take over. Wanted to be Minister again. She sent him off with his tail tucked between his legs and a mission to get the floo and portkey offices going again. And she wants him to get the Knight bus to pick up orphans or anyone else needing help and bring them here."

Kingsley couldn't help it he started laughing, "I would have loved to see that happen."

"What's so funny?" a voice asked, "I could use some good humor right now."

"Professor Flitwick." Mark said, "Good to see you awake. I'm Healer Mark Hills."

"What's funny?"

"He was just relating a story about Ginny Weasley. Mr. Fudge came in trying to be minister and she sent him off to fix the transportation systems." Kingsley continued to chuckle.

"Told him she was naming him Head of Magical Transportation and then asked if he could handle that." Mark chuckled, "That was right after she called for a vote and no one wanted to replace her with Fudge."

"Oh I would have liked to have seen that." Flitwick said after a few moments, "Why is Ginny…" His confusion wouldn't let him finish the sentence.

"I am the first order member here that was conscious." Kingsley said, "The battle was last night and only a few survived. You're the first to wake up. Harry stopped him but died."

"Oh dear. What of the rest of the Weasley's." Flitwick asked.

"Only twenty seven people survived the fight." Mark said, "None of the Weasley's are in that group."

"Who's running… is Ginny running the school?" Flitwick asked surprised.

"And the Ministry." Kinsley said, "She's made Hogwarts the center of activity and they are all looking to her as leader, even though there are many adults here."

"She also said only one house elf survived." Mark said, "Her name is Cookie and I think she's taken Ginny as her own personal project. She's not even wearing a Hogwarts crest anymore."

"Yes Mrs…" Ginny started.

"Williams. Connie Williams." the woman said, "We have something you're going to have to see. We've been working in the kitchens and had come down to start dinner." The woman led her to the kitchens as they talked. "You just won't believe what happened."

There was a group of women at the door staring in when Ginny walked up. Looking in she was shocked to see many house elves working in the kitchen. All of them had Hogwarts crests on their towels. Ginny raised her eyebrows until she saw a familiar house elf giving orders to others.

"Cookie, where did they come from?" Ginny asked approaching the elf.

"Theys all without families." Cookie said, "Theys be knowing about Winky and Dobby that came here so they came when they didn't have anyone else. But don't be mentioning paying them. Theys all proper house elves and won't like it."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Ginny said, "How can I ever thank them for coming?"

"No needing that." Cookie said, "Having a family to work for is all the thanks theys being needing."

"But…" Ginny started.

"Attention." Cookie said, "This is Ms. Weasy Headmistress. We's being doing what she says."

Several house elves approached, "Thanks you for giving us a home again. Can we's be getting you anything? What would you want us to be fixing for dinner?"

"Thank you for coming." Ginny said, "This is our biggest hour of need and knowing we have such wonderful elves helping us takes much worry from me. Thank you. No I don't need anything right now. Cookie can you help with the menu, anything's fine with me."

Ginny left and the other women followed, "Now what do we do?"

"We'll have more people coming soon." Ginny said, "Split up between the hospital, children's rooms and potion makers. Or you can just get some rest and spend time with your families."

Ginny made her way to the hospital and was very relieved to see Professor Flitwick awake, "Good news professor. We're back up to around one hundred house elves. As far as I can tell every house elf that lost their family came here to help."

"Wonderful." Flitwick said, "I understand you're doing a great job running the nation."

"I don't think I'd say great." Ginny chuckled, "I'll be glad to give it up to you when you're feeling better."

"Sorry, I can't let him up just yet." Mark said, "Maybe in a couple days. One day of healing isn't enough."

"Only one day?"Ginny said, "I feel like it's been weeks since the battle."

"It started less than twenty four hours ago." Kingsley said.

"Ms. Weasley." Fudge called, "Good news."

"Yes Mr. Fudge?" Ginny asked.

"The floo network is operational again. The Knight bus is running and will be dropping off the first wave soon."

"Excellent. I told you that you would make a good Head of Transportation." Ginny said.

"Yes, we still need to talk with the Muggle Prime Minister. Like I offered before I would be glad to talk with him." Fudge said.

"No need." Kingsley said, "I was there until three hours ago. I was assigned as his protection during the battle. He is well aware of our desperate situation at the moment. They offered financial help if we need it. I'm to let him know when I can."

"Good, one less thing to worry about I guess." Fudge said.

"How many do you have staffing the floo network?" Ginny asked.

"One for now, but that's all we'll need." Fudge said.

"Really." Ginny said, "And what do we do when that person needs to sleep or go to the loo? I think you need to get back and make sure you get enough people to handle the place well. We're likely to have a lot of traffic over the next couple of weeks and we don't need anyone getting exhausted."

"Yes. Yes, I can do that." Fudge said and began to back out of the room, "Just reporting progress and all."

"Portkey office needs a full staff to. We have people here that may be willing to help so ask around." Ginny pointed out.

Fudge left and the silence lasted about thirty seconds after the door closed. The three men she had been talking to all started laughing.

"Priceless." Flitwick said gasping for air from his laughing, "I would have paid money to see that happen."

"Me too." Kingsley was still chuckling, "I heard about the first time and was sorry I missed it. I'm glad I didn't miss it this time."

"What are you two on about?" Ginny asked.

"They just like to see Fudge sufferin." Hagrid said from his bed, "After what he did ter Harry he deserves to be sent off with his tail tucked."

"Hagrid you're awake." Ginny exclaimed, "I'm so glad. You just rest now, I've got some things to do. See you later."

The three men caught Hagrid up on what had been happening. The next morning Ginny was back in the Hospital. Professor Flitwick was sitting up and Hagrid was about to be released, "What do you need me to do?"

"Hagrid just do what you normally do." Ginny said.

"Normally I help out where ever I'm needed." he replied.

"You know what." Ginny said, "I never thought to look in the forest for injured people and animals. Maybe you should take a few people with you and check it out. Make sure they'd be able to handle anything you might run across. And make sure they know the Centaurs are to be treated like… well better than the Ministry used to treat them. We may make some headway in relations if we handle this right. Also if the Centaurs have any injured offer our help."

"You've got my vote for Minister." Hagrid grinned.

"No thanks." she replied with a grin herself, "I'll be glad to give it up when someone comes to take over."

"As long as it isn't Fudge." Flitwick said.

"Yes exactly." Ginny said. Hagrid chuckled as he left the hospital. Ginny turned to her Professor, "When do you think you'll be up to taking your job back?"

"Not yet." Mark stopped her, "I want to make sure he's in good shape. You're doing a fine job."

"If I'm doing so well why did I just now think of the forest?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't think of it either." Mark retorted, "Neither did anyone else. No one is expecting you to be perfect. If they do then I'll have a word with them."

"Here, here." Flitwick said then yawned hugely, "I'm afraid I need some more sleep. Sorry to be burdening you with this."

"Think nothing of it Professor." Ginny said, "I just don't want you think I want to keep the job."

"By the way, you're Head Girl next year." the professor rolled over and went to sleep before she could respond.

"Great, just what I wanted." Ginny said sarcastically, she then asked, "Where's Kingsley?"

"Our esteemed Head Auror went to check his staff. He didn't want a dressing down like Fudge got." Mark said with mock seriousness.

"Did you release him or did he release himself?" she asked.

"He's fine." Mark said.

By the end of the first week Ginny was finally relieved of all her duties. Kingsley had been made Minister and was busy reestablishing the Ministry and all its offices. Professor Flitwick had taken over as Headmaster. His first act was to give Cookie the house elf to Ginny. It was just a formality though as Cookie had been wearing a towel with the Weasley crest on it for almost a week.

Ginny sat in the Great Hall poking at her breakfast. Flitwick approached her, "Do you want company today?"

"No. I mean Cookie is going with me." Ginny said, "I can't stay there though. Can I just gather some things and come back to my dorm room?"

"Yes that's fine." Flitwick said, "What are you going to do with the place?"

"I offered it to that couple that wanted to take in those two families." Ginny said, "Their house was destroyed but they were willing to take care of six kids. I just want some personal things then I'll leave the rest for them." Later that day Ginny was back. She put all her mementos in her dorm and made her way down to dinner. After she had finished poking it to death she addressed her Headmaster, "I'm going to start sorting out the Library. It's a mess; Hermione would be having a fit that I didn't get to it before now."

She walked into the library and immediately put her hands over her ears. An unearthly screeching was coming from the restricted section, "I think I'll start with the restricted section." she said aloud to herself. While wondering why no one heard that before today.

After grabbing the key and opening the section she grabbed the noisy book and slammed it shut. She worked for hours placing the books into the correct spot. It would have been faster if she could have just used magic but not knowing much about the restricted section she had to hunt for the spots for each book.

"You would think that she would have just put them in alphabetical order but no that would be way too easy. They have to be grouped by degree of nastiness or something." The section she was currently working on disgusted her. Every book seemed to have stuff on the cover. Everything from what looked like old vomit to dried blood adorned these books. Ginny had saved this section for last because she knew she would want a hot shower after touching them. After putting the last book on the shelf she decided to call it a night. She gave one more sweeping glance of the room looking for anything out of place. He eye caught on something glittering from a dark corner. "Great one more book." She looked for a title and then looked for its place. There wasn't an open spot on any shelf. She put the book in her pocket and decided to find its spot tomorrow.

When she reached her dorm she wanted nothing more than a hot shower and then bed. So that's what she did. But her night didn't go as planned. The funerals had all taken place the day before and she was still upset from them. Her nightmares came from all sides. Her torment was such that Cookie woke her and offered her dreamless sleep potion. Ginny declined and decided to just get up. Four in the morning was a little early to get up but she'd live.

"Why don't you read the book you brought from the library?" Cookie suggested.

"Good idea, maybe I can figure out where it's supposed to go." Ginny said. The book's title was "Time". It showed no author and no dates for printing. She flipped through the book not really reading it. Just taking in words that caught her attention. One word that caught her attention was catastrophe. She looked closer at the section and was very surprised at what she saw. The chapter's title was "Time to fix a catastrophe" just what I need she thought. She started reading the section. What she found amazed her. It talked of a potion that could send you back in time one month. It could only be used when a great catastrophe had taken place. Two people must survive the event unscathed and if they are both willing they could go back and try to fix it.

Ginny was sure that what she was reading was probably illegal. She even questioned if it could be possible. But the more she thought the more she wanted it to be true. She began to speculate in her mind, "I wonder if it has to be two people. I wonder if it could just be two magical entities. I wonder if it could work with a house elf." Ginny wouldn't force Cookie to help her but she would ask her what she thought. She was sure it would be dangerous and that they could possibly die if this didn't work right.

"Cookie."

"Yes Missy."

"I want to ask you a question. When I ask this I want you to think about it before answering. This is a very dangerous task I'm going to ask you to do but you have to be willing to do it. If you have any reservations about it we can't do it because it won't work. So please be honest with me and don't just tell me what I want to hear."

"Yes Missy, I'll listen and answer honestly."

Ginny told her about the potion. What she expected to happen, what her questions were and what could possibly go wrong. There were great risks involved including being arrested if it was illegal. Ginny was honest about what she understood and what she didn't. She wanted the elf to know that she didn't know what she was doing or exactly what would happen.

After Ginny finished Cookie left to think about what she was being asked to do and promised not to reveal it to anyone. The next night Cookie woke Ginny just before midnight, "I's be going with you. I's brought a cauldron. The book said its needing to be started at midnight, we must be hurrying."

Ginny jumped up sleep forgotten. She set up an area and started the potion. She was meticulous in all her cutting and stirring. Even Snape would have been proud if he could see her, she thought. When the potion was finished it had to sit until midnight then they would add one last ingredient and they would leave. She didn't want to destroy the dorm room so she decided to move it to the Great Hall after everyone went to bed the next evening.

"Missy." Cookie said, "I's been thinking. If we die we won't be able to fix anything."

"You're right. Maybe I should write everything down. Then they can get prepared." Ginny pulled out parchment and started writing. Once finished she packed and shrunk everything she had taken from the Burrow and her own belongings. Then she sat down to write one more letter. This one she would leave for Professor Flitwick and Minister Shacklebolt. Her day went quick enough and soon it was dinner.

"Ginny are you feeling alright?" Healer Mark had taken over for Madam Pomfrey.

"I didn't sleep well last night. I'm going to make an early evening of it."

"Ok, do you want to take a walk first?" he asked.

Ginny was shocked for a moment. Was he asking like a guy who liked her or as a healer who wanted her to get fresh air? She decided it would be as a healer because she didn't want to go where the other idea was pointing, "No thanks. I think I'm going right to bed." She then yawned for good measure.

Just after eleven Ginny got out of bed and got dressed. By the time she was ready and had levitated the cauldron to the Great Hall she had five minutes left. She set up the cauldron and prepared to add the last ingredient. It needed three drops of blood from each of the participants. As gently as she could she poked the elves finger and extracted three drops of blood. She healed it then did the same to herself. Finally she started the incantation. When she finished there was a bright flash of light and then a rumble like thunder that shook the building. But Ginny and Cookie didn't hear it because they were already gone. In another time the residents of Hogwarts heard a rumble like thunder and felt the castle shake with it.

After hearing and feeling the rumble Headmaster Flitwick raced to the Great Hall. There he met Healer Mark who was standing at the door reading a note that had been stuck to it. Ginny explained what she had done and why. She hoped they understood and would forgive her. The two men then looked at the mess in the Great Hall. Tables were toppled over and a cauldron was smoking in the middle of the room but the girl and the elf were gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Albus Dumbledore met his Deputy Headmistress at the doors to the Great Hall. It was dark but a wave of his hand lit the hundreds of candles. The Christmas Trees Hagrid had set up and the Professors had decorated were sparkling beautifully under the flickering lights. At first neither saw anything that could have caused the noise or the shaking they had experienced. It wasn't until they started moving about the room that Minerva saw two bodies in the middle of the room.

"There Albus." she said pointing them out.

Filius joined them just after they had approached the two on the floor. He immediately started checking for spell work. Albus gingerly rolled over the first body. He gasp when he realized it was a young woman, surely no older than her late teens. The other body belonged to a female house elf. A quick check proved them to both be alive but unconscious. Whatever sent them here knocked them out he was sure. He levitated them and headed for the hospital wing. Minerva was right on his heels, but Filius stayed still searching for the way they got in.

As they walked Minerva asked, "What do you think Albus?"

"I have no idea. I don't even have a guess. But did you notice the house elf is wearing the Weasley crest?" Albus pointed out.

"But they don't have an elf."

"Maybe another branch of the family." Albus suggested, "I'll ask Arthur in the morning."

As they entered the hospital wing Poppy approached them, "What's happening? What shook the castle?"

"Not sure yet but we found these two in the Great Hall. What can you tell me?"

After running a series of diagnostic spells she said, "Exhaustion. But I'm not sure if it's related to how they arrived here or her stress levels."

"What does that mean?" Minerva asked.

"For the last two weeks she's been stressed out. Also there's a parchment in her pocket." Poppy said motioning to the side pocket of her cloak as she continued to run more tests.

Albus levitated the parchment out of her pocket and waved his wand over it. Not finding any spells he opened it and read what had been written. After a few moments he conjured a cushy chair and sat. He read it through twice more before he said, "This is something I've never run across."

"What?"

"It says they are from May of 1998. These two are the sole uninjured survivors of a tragedy that happen here at Hogwarts. Evidentially some dark wizard is going to try to take over in the next year and we win the war but lose everyone in the process. Though there are some things that don't make sense. It says the wizard has been trying to kill Harry Potter for the last seven years, as far as I know that has not happened."

"Well you can wait to call anyone until tomorrow. These two won't be waking for at least another day or so." Poppy said, "I've placed a tracking spell on each of them so we'll know when they wake up."

"Alright, good night." Albus found Filius still in the Great Hall, "Find anything?"

"No. It wasn't a spell or a portkey as far as I can tell. May have been a potion."

"I don't think we'll know until the two of them wake up."

The next morning Albus floo called the Burrow, "Molly are you aware of any Weasley family having a house elf?"

"No, I don't think so why?"

"Can you get Arthur and come by; I want to show you something."

"Alright. He'll be down for breakfast in a minute. Should we come by first?"

"No this may take a while."

Albus stayed at the floo and made his second call and then pulled back to wait on the Weasley's. Twenty minutes later the two Weasley's arrived via floo.

"What's going on Albus?" Molly asked.

"Please follow me to the hospital wing." was all he said.

As they headed out Molly asked, "Is someone hurt?"

"No one is hurt." Albus stated, "Last night the castle was shook by what we guessed at the time to be an explosion in the Great Hall. When Minerva and I arrived we saw no damage in the room. We searched it and ended up finding two bodies. Both are alive, one is a girl in her late teens and the other is a house elf. I need to know if you can identify the girl."

"Albus, why would you need us to identify her?" Arthur asked.

"The elf is wearing the Weasley crest on its covering." Albus said as they arrived at the hospital and went to the girl's bedside.

"Albus I don't have any nieces or anyone that I know of about this age. All my brothers have kids that are older and none of them have a girl. She actually looks more like a Prewitt than a Weasely. What color are her eyes?"

"Brown." Poppy answered from across the room.

"Weasley's eyes are normally blue. All the boys have them." Molly pointed out.

The doors to the hospital wing opened and in walked James and Lily Potter.

"Good you're here." Albus said, "I didn't want to ask this over the floo. Has Harry had any attempts on his life?"

"What?" they two yelled.

"This girl here appeared in the Great Hall last night. She's unconscious but had this note in her pocket. It's says that in little more than a year Hogwarts is going to be attacked by the dark wizard who's been trying to kill Harry Potter." Albus said, "I wasn't aware of anyone attacking him so I wanted to know if there was anything you needed to tell me?"

"No, we've not…" all conversations stopped as the house elf on the bed groaned and moved her hand up to hold her head. Poppy moved over to her bed and started running spells.

"How are you feeling?"

"Not toos good."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"I was helping my Missy with a potion." the elf said then tried to sit up, "I needs to be caring for Missy."

"We're taking care of her." Poppy said, "You need to rest so that you can take care of her after she wakes up."

"She's being alive then. We wasn't sure we would. Did headmaster find the letter?" the elf continued to try to sit up.

"We found it. Lay back down, what's your name?" Poppy pushed the elf back on the bed.

"I's being Cookie. I's being Ms. Ginny's elf now." she said.

"Who did you belong to before Ms. Ginny?" Poppy asked.

"Hogwarts. But Missy be needing me more so headmaster gave me to her." Cookie said, "She being an orphan now. Oh, my poor Missy."

"You said you were helping her with a potion?" Albus asked.

"Headmaster's back?" Cookie said, "We shouldn't be here we was only to go back one month not a year."

"A time potion?" Albus asked.

"It be my fault." Cookie cried, "It be needing two people and we hoped a witch and a house elf would be working."

"What year was she in?" Poppy asked.

"Just be finishing her sixth year." Cookie was still crying into her towel.

"Albus correct me if I'm wrong but that would put her in fifth year and we don't have a fifth year that looks anything like her." Poppy said.

"Cookie what's Ms. Ginny's last name." Albus asked.

"She's being a Weazey sir."

"Do you know her parents names?"

"Arthur and Molly Weazey and she had six brothers. But she's an orphan now they's all be dead. They battled against the bad, bad man. Missy's Potter stopped him but died too."

"Potter, would that be Harry Potter?" James asked.

"Yes he's being very brave and loved my Missy."

"Cookie I'm going to give you a sleep potion now." Poppy told the still upset house elf, "You need to rest so you can take care of Ginny when she wakes up."

"What in the world do you think is going on?" Lily asked.

"She told us the truth as she knows it." Albus said, "I'm thinking maybe they didn't go back in time so much as…"

"As what?" the four parents asked.

"Across it." Albus said.

"What?"

"I think that is what happened in their world." Albus said, "I need to do some research. I wish I knew what the name of that potion was."

"Are you saying this is our daughter from a different world?" Molly asked.

"Yes." Albus replied.

"What do you want us to do?" Arthur asked.

"If you don't mind Molly, I'd like you to stay here as if she were your daughter. She'll be less guarded and might let something slip if she's not who we think she is." Albus said, "While I agree that it's a little overboard if we have someone trying to attack a castle full of children I would rather err to be over protective."

"You think she may be an agent of a dark wizard here to confuse us by playing an innocent girl?" Arthur asked.

"I just don't know but Alastor would have my skin if I didn't practice constant vigilance." Albus chuckled.

"I think we need to have a word with Harry." Lily said, "Just to make sure he's not hiding something."

"Molly I'm going to walk out with the Potter's. Are you going to be ok?" Arthur asked.

"I'll be fine." she sighed wistfully, "It would have been so nice to have a daughter."

"Sometimes it is and other times not." Lily hugged Molly from behind, "You know how bad Harry and Rose fight."

Molly chuckled, "Take that times six and maybe it is a good idea for us not to have one."

"I'll stop by later to check on you ok?"

"Thanks Lily."

When the group reached the Great Hall Arthur split off and left while James and Lily entered behind Albus. When Harry noticed them walking towards him he yelled, "Whatever it is I didn't do it honest." The Gryffindor table as a whole chuckled at his declaration.

"Are you sure young man?" Lily faked an angry glare.

"I certainly haven't done anything to merit that look." Harry gulped.

The glare dropped off showing the smile underneath and Harry sagged with relief.

"Scared of your mummy Potter?" Draco and the rest of the Slytherins laughed.

"Definitely, you know healers are the best torturers they know what hurts the most." Lily lightly smacked Harry's arm as he pretended to cringe and then laughed.

"Hi Mum and Dad, whatever it was he did do it." Rose Potter walked over from the Ravenclaw table and hugged her parents while sticking out her tongue at Harry.

"So if I'm not in trouble for something Rose obviously did why are you here?" Harry asked.

"We just need to talk to you both for a few minutes." James said, "We'll be using the Headmasters office. And you may be late for your first class."

"Oookkk." Harry and Rose looked at each other and then followed their parents out of the hall.

Once safe in the office Lily asked, "Are you aware that something happened here last night around midnight?"

"No." Both teens answered, "What happened."

"We aren't certain yet but it seems to have a connection to you Harry." James stated.

"I didn't do anything; I was doing homework until ten and then went to bed." Harry said.

"I heard Hermione say he was so tired from practice that Ron practically carried him up to the dorm." Rose said. Harry rolled his eyes but didn't comment.

"You're misunderstanding." Lily said, "We didn't say you did it just that it has to do with you."

"What happened?"

"A girl about your age and a house elf showed up in the Great Hall in the middle of the night. In her pocket was a note saying the school was going to be attacked in about a year and a half." Lily said.

"Who would attack a school?" Rose asked looking worried.

"It said a dark wizard who has been trying to kill Harry." the other three in the room turned to face him, "Is there something we need to know about?"

"No one has tried to kill me." Harry said without reservation then grinned mischievously, "Who would want to kill me… other than Rose I mean."

"We are being serious here." Lily stated.

"Sorry." Harry said, "But really no one has tried to hurt me in any way. What else did the note say?"

"It says that you stop the dark wizard but… die." James said as Lily couldn't talk anymore.

"Wow, I know I'm a decent wizard but stopping a dark wizard before I'm eighteen I think is pushing it. Am I going to get some extra training to help me do this?" Harry asked finally.

"We don't know anything for sure. We're trying to see if we can confirm any information in the note." James said.

Rose stepped over to Harry with tears running down her face and hugged him, "I don't want you to die. What would I do without you?"

Harry returned the hug from his sister, "I'm not going to die. Obviously the girl is either insane or cruel. Dad, could it possibly be an attempt at you?"

"Anything is possible. It just doesn't feel like it's directed at me this time." James looked at his watch as it beeped, "I have to go to work. You two behave. And Rosy don't worry we won't let your favorite punching bag get hurt."

"Thanks." she gave a watery chuckle, "You be careful. We need you around too."

After a quick hug for each of his children James left the office. Lily's hugs took longer, "You'd tell us wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would." Harry said, "My Dad's the best Auror in the world I would want him on the case if anyone was threatening me. The only person who could scare the bad guy's worse would be you."

Lily laughed and swatted his arm again. She then pulled away grabbing his face in her hands. She looked up at him and said, "And don't you ever forget that."

After she had left using the floo Harry and Rose returned to the Great Hall for their book bags. Not finding them they went to find their friends in their first classes.

"Be careful Harry."

"I will, let me walk you to class. What do you have?"

"DADA."

"Come on."

Ginny's head hurt and the lights were too bright. She tried to lift her hands to her head but a hand stopped her.

"Easy dear you've had a rough day."

"I've got a headache mum. Do you have any potion?" Ginny whimpered, "I feel like my heads a bludger that Fred and George are practicing with. Can you turn off the lights?"

Molly went to get a potion from Poppy and flicked her wand on the way so the room would darken considerably. Poppy returned with the Weasley matron and began to perform spells.

"Here's the potion dear, drink up like a good girl." Molly whispered, "Can you open your eyes?"

"No they hurt too much. Maybe after the potion kicks in." She whispered her reply, "What happened to me Madam Pomfrey?"

"Do you remember anything?" the medi-witch asked.

"No. But it may just be the headache."

"I'm going to give you a sleeping potion. Just rest now." Poppy said.

"She woke up and knew both our voices without ever opening her eyes." Molly told Albus later, "She had a really bad headache."

"Could she have faked the headache?"

"No I checked." Poppy stated.

"So is she our daughter?" Molly asked.

"We won't know for sure until I can give her Veritaserum."

"Isn't there any other way?" Poppy asked.

"Yes but that will be the easiest on her. We need to know all we can about this dark wizard." Albus said.

The next morning Ginny awoke in the hospital. She didn't see anyone for a few moments until Cookie popped up, "Oh Missy yous awake now. I must be getting yous healer."

"It's alright Cookie, I'm here." Poppy said, "Your elf is very protective of you."

"Been through a lot." Ginny mumbled as she tried to sit up. Cookie jumped up on the bed and helped her sit up and then fluffed her pillows to make her comfortable, "Thanks Cookie you're a life saver."

"No Missy I's causing big problems. I'm no life saver." Cookie started to wail.

"Now, now Cookie don't be saying that." Poppy admonished the elf, "Let her decide for herself if this is a problem. The Headmaster is on the way to talk with Ginny. He needs her to get her version without you telling her what happened."

The elf slumped away pulling on her ears. Ginny grew alarmed at the elf's distress, "Cookie come here please." The elf trudged over and Ginny said, "Nothing is worth this incrimination. You are the best elf I could ever have. You are my friend and nothing will ever change that."

"Thank yous Missy." Cookie tried to stop the tears running from her eyes, "Order me to tells you please."

"No it's ok. Just stay close in case I need you." Ginny said as the doors opened. Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room, "Oh my."


	4. Chapter 4

"Ms. Weasley so good to see you awake." Albus said.

"Uhh, yes, ummm, thanks." Ginny stumbled through and then asked, "How far back did we come?"

"So you know who I am?" Albus asked.

"Yes sir." Ginny responded.

"I would like to ask you some questions. Would it be ok if I gave you some Veritaserum?" Albus asked.

"Sure just be careful what you ask for. I shouldn't let out too many specifics about the future." She replied.

Three drops later he started, "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"Voldemort attacked the school, I was the only human not hurt in the exchange. When Harry killed Voldemort the mark took all of them with him. About twenty from the light side survive but they were all injured. I wasn't allowed to fight because I'm under aged. Cookie went to St. Mungo's to get help after the battle but they had been attacked too. No one in the hospital survived. I then sent out a plea by owl for any healers to come to Hogwarts to help." Ginny paused for a breath.

"Did they come?" Albus asked.

"Everyone came." Ginny chuckled, "Healers and injured and everyone else who could get there came. Cookie told me that because I was the only person from the school awake except for Cookie, I was the Headmistress. Cookie was the only elf that survived. She told me how to open the gates and let people in. We organized the sorting of bodies, light in one room, dark in another. I set the healers up to work, women fixed meals and men watched the gates and patrolled. When the first Auror showed up he informed me what they were doing to get order in the country. I had an ex-minister restart the Knight Bus, Floo and Portkey offices. We used the Knight bus to gather the orphaned magical children. Because of all this I ended up becoming the interim Minister for Magic. Luckily all that just lasted a week."

"My word, I doubt anyone else could have done a better job no matter their age." Albus said in awe.

"I just did what had to be done." Ginny replied modestly.

"So how did you get here?" he asked.

"I wasn't prepared to go home to an empty house so the new Headmaster let me stay at the school." Ginny said, "The second week after the battle I decided to clean up the library. Not a book was left on any shelf. I started with the restricted section because one of the books had fallen open and was screaming."

"Yes they do tend to do that." Albus grinned.

"Well I had just finished putting all the books away and was leaving. I gave a sweeping glance around the room to make sure I hadn't missed anything when I saw a flash of red under a table." Ginny paused for a moment then continued, "I couldn't find its place anywhere so I stuck it in my pocket to try and find its place the next day. That night I had a nightmare and didn't feel like going back to sleep. So I picked up the book to see if I could figure out where it went. The title was 'Time' and I flipped through the pages until I ran across a potion called Catastrophe Called Back. It was supposed to send two survivors back one month to help prevent the catastrophe from happening. It said two people but I didn't want to ask anyone else so Cookie helped me and evidentially it sent us too far."

"So I died during the battle?" Albus asked.

"About a year before sir."

"Tell me what you know about the Dark Wizard that attacks." Albus continued the questions.

"Well its Voldemort, You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or as I knew him Tom Riddle." Ginny said, "He attacked me in my first year and nearly killed me but Harry saved me. He's a vile, murderous monster. His followers are called Death Eaters and they kill and torture for fun. But you know all this; you're the only wizard he was ever afraid of. He killed Harry's parents when Harry was one and has tried to kill him every since. I don't know what else you want me to say."

Albus was in shock. She was telling the truth as far as she knew and he realized she was from an entirely different universe than the one she was currently in. He administered the antidote and sat in deep thought for a long time.

"We have a bit of a problem here." he said, "I don't know how to tell you this but… I don't think… you aren't…"

"Missy we's being in another universe. My magic messed up yous potion." Cookie was crying again, "It's all being my fault. I'm sorry. Hows is I being punished."

"Cookie you will not be punished. I told you I didn't know for sure what would happen and it's not your fault. It's mine." Ginny rubbed the elf's back, "I should have known it was some kind of Death Eater trick or something. We really can't go back and fix the past. It just isn't right and I shouldn't have tried. I was just so desperate."

"Your coming has caused quite a stir." Albus chuckled.

"How is my other self dealing with me being here?" Ginny asked.

"Actually, there isn't another you here." Albus said, when Ginny looked a bit panicked he reassured her, "Your family is here and they're fine. They just didn't try for another child after Ronald."

"Really?" Ginny asked, "I wonder who else isn't here?"

"I think the more appropriate question would be who is here." Albus stated, "For one Harry Potter's parents didn't die when he was a baby."

"Wow, that's fabulous." Ginny grinned, "Anything else I should know?"

"This one you might find interesting." Albus pause and Ginny waited anxiously, "We don't have a dark wizard named Voldemort or any of those other names. Harry, as far as I know, has never been attacked by anyone."

"When you were the professor for transfiguration did you have a student named Tom Marvolo Riddle?"

"I don't recall one." Albus said, "But I'll check student records. Do you know when he was a student?"

"Not specifically, but Armando Dippet was the Headmaster and he retired within maybe ten or so years of Tom finishing at Hogwarts." Ginny said, "It wouldn't hurt to find out where he is in this universe."

"I'll check." Albus said patting her arm as she started to yawn again, "Rest now Ms. Weasley, I'll come back and see you when you wake up. Would you like to meet the Weasley's of this world?"

"Yes that would be great." Ginny grinned and settled back into the bed. Cookie made sure she was covered and sat in the chair to watch her.

Minerva, Molly, Arthur, James and Lily were all waiting in the office when Albus got back. Minerva had contacted the ones not already at school.

"She's sleeping again. But I'm sure she is from another universe. The dark wizard she was talking about called himself Voldemort. But his real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. I'm going to check the school roles to see if he was ever listed. I would like you two to check ministry records. " Albus said indicating James and Arthur who nodded in reply, "I promised to check for him thoroughly. He tried to kill her during her first year and the Harry in her universe saved her. She seems to be quite fond of that version of him."

"I don't think he's overly fond of her." Lily said, "He thought she was just saying things to scare us."

"I've asked Ginny if she wants to meet our Weasleys and she was very excited about it." Albus grinned, "Maybe Harry and Rose will join us too. I don't want anyone else to know the truth about her but she'll need friends that she can be truthful with."

"Alright, if you're sure she isn't going to be dangerous." Lily said.

"I think she could be very dangerous under the right circumstances." Albus smiled, "Before she left her other world she spent a week as Headmistress and Minister for Magic as she helped the nation recover from a war. She is sixteen, smart, very loyal and brave. I think anyone would be a fool to try to attack her or one of her friends. But no I don't think she is a danger to anyone."

"Wow." Arthur said, "She must take after Molly."

"She said she only did what had to be done and then gladly gave it up." Albus said, "Which sounds like a good combination."

Several days later Ginny was recovered enough to have visitors. It was the last day before Christmas break and the students would be leaving after breakfast. Ron, Harry and Rose were pulled away after breakfast by Minerva. They met their parents and the rest of the Weasley siblings in the Headmasters office.

"I didn't do it." Ron and Harry said at the same time.

The group laughed as they were ushered into the office. Once they were inside the door closed behind Minerva as she left to get Ginny. Dumbledore started talking he explained the situation to the group and said, "Minerva has gone to collect her from the hospital and bring her here to meet you all."

"Are you sure she's telling the truth?" Bill asked.

"Yes. I used Veritaserum." Albus stated.

Conversations started slowly across the group as they waited for the girl to arrive. A knock at the door silenced the group and they turned as one to stare at the door.

"Enter Minerva." Albus said. The first through the door was a house elf whose bright white towel clearly showed a Weasley crest. A red headed teenage girl was next followed by Minerva. The house elf stood protectively in front and to the right of the girl. She was eyeing the entire group carefully.

"Theys all being light." Cookie said.

"Cookie I told you there was no bad wizard like at home." Ginny knelt down to talk to her one arm behind the elf's back.

"So many different things being here. It's being hard to change." Cookie replied hugging Ginny, "Are yous going to be sending me away now that yous family is back?"

"No I will never send you away." Ginny said hugging her close, "You may leave anytime you want but I won't send you away. You're more a friend to me than anything. I never could have made it these last weeks if you hadn't helped me."

"How'd you get a house elf?" Ron asked.

"Well Ron she kind of adopted me." Ginny smiled at the youngest of her brothers.

"So I guess we don't have to introduce ourselves?" Fred asked.

"No, I know who most everyone is Fred." Ginny said, "I even know the secret to tell you and George apart."

"You aren't going to tell are you?" George asked with concern.

"Of course not. I promised I wouldn't and I keep my promises." Ginny said, "How are the dragons Charlie?"

"Great." he answered.

"And Gringotts Bill, do they still have you in Egypt or have you come home?" she asked.

"Got home last week." he smiled.

"Anything for me?" Percy asked.

"Yes cauldron bottoms are uniform except on the black market." Ginny giggled.

"Is… is it alright if I hug you?" Molly asked.

"It wouldn't be a proper Weasley greeting without one of your bone crushing hugs." Ginny reached for the woman who looked a lot like her mother, only younger. Ginny assumed not having a dark wizard running around killing people would have an effect on such things. Arthur was the next to receive a hug but the boys all stayed back.

"So the worlds are quite similar." Lily stated.

"Close, I've never met Harry's sister." Ginny smiled.

"Rose, nine months younger." she reached out to shake Ginny's hand.

"Ginny, I was a year younger but since I've come back in time I'll just be a few days younger." she responded.

"So you are in sixth year then?" Rose asked.

"Yes, as long as I pass the OWLs. I have to take them again." Ginny grimaced.

"Yuk, once was more than enough." Ron said.

"I think I also need to introduce you to James and Lily Potter." Albus said indicating the other two adults.

"Why would she need to be introduced to us?" James asked, "Surely Harry would have introduced her if she were his friend."

"He couldn't." Ginny sighed not really wanting to explain, "He was an orphan. Nice to finally meet you."

Stunned silence filled the room for several moments.

"If my parents were dead then I was raised by Sirius then?" Harry asked.

"Not exactly." Ginny said, "He was a little busy. He was wrongfully put into Azkaban, long story."

"Remus then?" Harry asked.

"No, you were put with your closest living blood relative." Ginny said with a shudder, "Aunt Petunia."

"You mean the whales and the horse?" Rose asked, "Surely not that would be torture."

"Rose, you shouldn't call them that." Lily scolded her daughter.

"At least not in public where your parents can hear." Ginny whispered to Rose, "I personally like the names."

Rose giggled and Harry who was close enough to hear the exchange chuckled too, "Hello Harry."

"Ummm hi." he replied, "You know this is really weird."

"Tell me something I don't know." Ginny grinned, "There are a lot of similarities to my home and yet some glaring differences. This is going to be hard to get used to."

"Would you like to come and stay at the Burrow for Christmas?" Molly asked.

"That would be lovely." Ginny replied, "Will everyone be there?"

"The boys will be there and the Potters are coming over on Boxing Day." Molly said, "We have a room made up for you."

The Burrow was chaos, which was normal for the home anytime the family gathered. Ginny, who had been an orphan a few weeks ago, was happy to be surrounded by her family again. Cookie was helping Molly cook and clean, the little elf was grinning madly. Molly and Arthur had accepted them both without any further questions. The boys however were still standoffish.

Early Christmas morning Ginny had been making her way to breakfast. The boys were all at the table waiting as she skipped the squeaky step by jumping the last three as the boys had done for years. When she took the only open seat it shrieked as she sat. Undisturbed she started gathering her breakfast. She avoided the Canary Creams on the platter in front of her and picked only prank free items to eat. She either avoided or ignored three more pranks before falling into one she couldn't ignore.

As she was surrounded by a pink cloud she muttered just loud enough for the boys to hear, "If you have turn any part of me or my clothes pink it will mean war."

They snickered thinking she couldn't do anything as she was under aged. When the smoke cleared George handed her a mirror. Her bright pink hair would have made Tonks proud was her first thought. "I'll give you a two second head start." she grumbled. None of them heard because they were trying to hide their laughter from their mother. "One. Two."

With the stealth born from years of hiding her deliberate magic from her mother Ginny picked up George's wand. It was just lying on the table by his hand while he hid his face trying to hide the laughter. First she returned her own hair to its normal color. Then she started throwing hexes at all the boys. Their hair was turned pink, freckles were purple and cloths changed to horrible clashing colors, prints and styles. She then added a number of timed hexes that would trigger in five minute intervals to recast all the hexes. The last one would be the first to go off and it added a new one time hex, it was one of her own design and it would get their attention. It changed their underwear into a thong and shrunk them two sizes. It had taken less than two minutes to place all the hexes. She replaced George's wand and resumed eating her breakfast calmly.

"What happened? Who turned you colors?" Molly asked as she turned to start clearing away the breakfast. Ginny just shrugged and continued eating.

Just then the first timed hex took effect and the snickering turned to cries of pain. All the boys made a bee line for the stairs trying to be the first to escape their predicament. When they returned they were all in regular clothes again but the pink hair and purple freckles remained.

"Ok who started it?" Molly asked.

"Ginny did it." Percy declared, "Fred and George pranked her and she attacked all of us."

"I didn't do anything." Ginny smiled sweetly, "I'm under aged and I can't perform magic at home."

Bill angrily took her wand and performed Priori Incantatum on it. There were no recent spells on the wand. He handed it back to her but he was still scowling.

"Looks like Fred and George got you while you weren't looking." Molly said and then left the room to get ready for the day of celebrations.

Once she was out of earshot Ginny smiled innocently and said, "Never turn me or anything touching me pink. Never. Next time I won't be so kind." She turned and skipped up the stairs leaving the boys speechless.

Bill spent the day trying to figure out how she had pranked all of them, while their mother was in the room and she gotten away with the whole thing. They tried everything to get her to tell them how she did it but all she would say was trade secret, needless to say they were all very annoyed.

The chaos continued all through Christmas day. The twins had placed every kind of prank they had and everyone had gotten to experience something. Ginny was quite good at avoiding them but those she couldn't avoid she would slip away and dispel.


	5. Chapter 5

On Boxing Day the Potters joined them at the Burrow. The boys were sulking in the living room when they arrived. Ginny and Rose immediately ensconced themselves into a corner and started chatting, while Harry joined the boys.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

Over the next twenty minutes the twins told Harry about all the pranks Ginny was able to avoid. Then the others joined in and they told how she was able to prank all six of them, with their mother in the room and got away with it. Harry was laughing so hard that James had joined them when they began to tell of Ginny's prank. He was chuckling along and when the twins said nothing was on her wand he busted out with a loud laugh.

When he was in control again he said, "Obviously you were all too busy laughing at her and didn't keep track of your own wands. Did you check each others?"

"No." they answered dejectedly.

"Should have thought of that." Bill said, "I want to know how she changed our underwear."

"What did she do?" James asked curiously.

"I was wearing my favorite boxers." Bill dug into his pocket, "I've been trying to change them back with no luck." He pulled out a small thong made of pink lace."

"She changed them to that?" James looked uncomfortable.

"And shrunk them, it was quite painful." Bill glared at the girl across the room.

"So you don't have any doubt that she's a Weasley anymore then do you?" James asked.

"None." George said.

"Nope." Fred agreed.

"She's related." Ron added.

"If she wasn't younger than them I'd have said they were triplets instead of twins." Percy added indicating Fred and George.

"She's more evil though." Bill added.

"Very evil." Charlie added.

"It's your own fault." They all turned to look at the girl in question that was sitting across the room.

"How do you get that?" Bill asked.

"We only turned your hair pink." Fred added.

Rose snickered as Ginny explained, "Before my fourteenth birthday you each took me aside and taught me the best way to put a boy in his place. You didn't want any boys to take advantage of you little sister."

"No fair, you're using our knowledge against us." George cried out.

"Only partially." Ginny replied, "None of you taught me those tricks specifically. I learned them on my own. However you started me on the road to pranking."

Harry hid his smile behind his hand as the Weasley boy's groaned. The rest of the day went smoothly enough. Ginny chatted with Rose about girl stuff and listened to the boys discuss their stuff. When the twins began to talk shop Ginny and Rose paid closer attention.

"We need some more prank ideas."

"Well, as painful as it was, I liked Ginny's underwear trick."

"But we don't know the spell."

"Surely we could figure it out."

"I wonder if we have all the products her twins had."

"Good idea we need to ask."

"Do you have the skiving snack boxes?" Ginny asked from across the room.

"What?"

"Well you packaged several pranks together that would get you out of class. You put them in a box that looks like a muggle lunch box." she supplied.

"Brilliant, what else?" George prodded.

"Extendable ears, Fever Fudge, Headless hats, Puking Pastels, LangLock Lollypops and Nosebleed Nougat."

"Have all that." Fred assured her.

"Decoy Detonators, Puffskins, Day Dreams, Shield Cloaks and Ton Tongue Toffee."

"Whoa, what are those last two?" Charlie asked, "You don't have them do you?"

"No, spill sis." George moved closer.

"Have you ever met Harry's cousin Dudley?"

"No." The group declared, "Why in the world would we want to meet them?"

"My version of Harry lived with them. One year you two and Ron went with Dad to pick Harry up from their house. You had been so disgusted with Harry's story of his whale of a cousin you made a prank based on him. Ton Tongue Toffee. Makes the tongue grow up to ten feet long and weigh as much as an adult niffler. You said his size made you think of it." Ginny said as Harry and Rose snickered thinking of the boy they knew.

"And the cloaks?" Bill asked.

"In times of peace it's no big deal." Ginny sighed thinking of her past, "But in times of war you may be attacked from behind. And where I was from it was happening a lot. People were attacked and you wouldn't see them alive again. Maybe not even in one piece. Shield cloaks, hats and gloves were something you sold to help the average witch and wizard cope with war. You had a complete defense line. Of course you were careful who you sold them to. We didn't want any of the bad guys to get them."

"What do you think Dad?" Harry asked, "Could the Aurors use something like that?"

"They better not need it." James growled, "They had better be able to protect themselves. Some of the higher ups may have use for them or older people who aren't as quick as they used to be. But we don't have a lot of attacks going on. Things have been quiet for a decade or so."

"People become complacent very quickly." Ginny said, "Do any of you have a good shield charm?"

"I have to." Charlie said, "Required for working with dragons."

"Me too." Bill said, "Tomb work also requires it. But I didn't get a good knowledge of them until I was out of school and working for Gringotts."

Ginny looked out the window at the snow that was falling. She wondered how different classes would be in this universe. Rose soon pulled her out of her introspective wonderings and back to their conversation about hair and makeup. Several times during the day Ginny caught Harry staring. She ignored it and tried to remember he wasn't her Harry. As the day drew to a close they said their goodbyes to the Potters and watched them go. Ginny escaped to her room before the boy's could pull anymore tricks on her. At Breakfast the next morning Ginny had an envelope on the table. Surprisingly none of her brothers had tried to open it. She guessed they weren't quite comfortable enough for that yet. She pulled it out as she ate and read her results without batting an eye.

"Are those your OWLs dear?" Molly asked. When Ginny nodded in reply she asked, "May I know what you have?"

"Oh sure sorry." Ginny said, "I have ten OWLs, eight are O's the other two are E's. I still got a T in history though."

"That's wonderful dear." Molly smiled widely.

"Wow, that's more than I got." Percy grumbled.

"This is my second time taking them and I'm sixteen." Ginny pointed out, "My first time I only got eight and only three of them were O's."

"Well I feel better then." Percy said, "I got better than that. So do you think you'll make Head Girl?"

"No." she replied emphatically, "I could never disappoint Fred and George that way."

"Besides it would be a step down for her." George snickered.

Joining in Fred added, "She's already been Headmistress and Minister for Magic why would she need to be Head Girl."

"Please don't mention that again." Ginny said and left the room trying to hide her tears.

"Way to go." Ron said and followed her up the stairs. When he reached her room he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Ginny said and then laughed a little at the irony. At Ron's curious look she explained, "My Harry was always saying he was fine no matter what was happening. He could have had a leg severed off at the knee and be bleeding to death and he would say he was fine. I find it ironic that I'm doing the same thing when it used to aggravate me so badly when he did it."

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." Ron offered.

"Thanks." Ginny smiled, "You're a bit different than my Ron."

"Good way or bad?" he wondered.

"Good." she replied. They chatted lightly for a while before Ginny felt comfortable talking about the past, "You know I was only those things because all my family died. I didn't want to be the Headmistress and I definitely didn't want to be Minister. I was working hard so I wouldn't have time to dwell on what I had lost. And now I have it all back… but it's different."

Ron could only nod in agreement. There really wasn't anything he could say to that. After a few minutes of silence he said, "I can't even pretend to understand what happened to you. But I'll tell you as your new family we'll do our best to support you as you adjust."

"Thanks." Ginny smiled, she wanted to ask another question but not knowing if it was too personal made her pause for a moment. Ron gave her a questioning look so she continued, "Is there a girl at school named Hermione Granger?"

"Yes she's in Gryffindor." Ron said, "Why?"

"Do you like her?" she asked.

"Of course, she's one of my best friends." Ron said.

"But do you like her?" Ginny emphasized the word like that time. When Ron shuffled uncomfortable she added, "My version of Ron and Hermione were a couple."

"I haven't asked her out but I want to." Ron said quickly, "Was it working out ok?"

"They were engaged." Ginny grinned.

"Wow engaged at eighteen?" Ron was shocked, "I wasn't planning to get married until I was in my twenties at least."

"War changes things." Ginny sighed, "When you don't know if you'll die in a battle tomorrow you tend to move a little more quickly with relationships. Still you were slow about asking her out. It actually took a battle where you were hurt before you confessed your feelings."

"Well I hope it doesn't come to that for me to ask." Ron shook his head, "I just don't want to endanger our friendship."

"I'll need to meet her and see if she's any different here." Ginny said, "But I'll give you my opinion of her answer after I do."

"So do you like our Harry?" Ron asked, "I understand you were dating him in your world."

"He's nice." Ginny admitted, "But he's not my Harry. I'll have to get to know him better before I decide."

"Don't tell him I told you this, but he thinks you're pretty." Ron admitted.

"I know." Ginny chuckled at Ron's look of accusation, "I'm not conceited, it's just that I know his expressions. And he was staring at me all night. Besides my version of him told me every day how beautiful I was."

"He's not going to know what hit him." Ron grinned, "He's had girls throwing themselves at him since he got to Hogwarts but they all like him because his Dad's head Auror and they're wealthy. He won't know how to act around a girl who wants to get to know him."

"Some things never change." Ginny grinned, "His boy-who-lived status caused the same thing."

"Ginny come on." Molly called, "It's time for your meetings with the teachers."

"Yea." Ginny said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. Ron chuckled as he followed her back down to the kitchen.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were your meetings about?" Ron asked at dinner later that evening.

"I had to show some knowledge of sixth year material." Ginny replied, "I did so I'm able to attend all the classes I wanted to take."

"How do our professors stack up against yours?" Arthur was eager to get to know the girl who was his daughter.

"McGonagall is exactly the same, stern but fair as a professor and head of house. Flitwick is more reserved. But I was fairly close to him in my world so that may resolve itself as he gets to know me." Ginny said thoughtfully, "I think Sprout is even more exuberant than my version and she looks younger. But so do you and Mum so I'm thinking the stress of the war aged a lot of people."

"I can see how that would happen." Arthur nodded, "Knowing my children were fighting against dark forces would certainly make me worry quite a bit. What other classes are you taking?"

"Potions, DADA and Runes. Potions and Runes are new teachers to me but they seem fine. Do you happen to remember if a Severus Snape was at school with Harry's parents?" Ginny asked.

"He was why do you ask?" Bill was curious.

"He was the potions professor at home." Ginny said, "He was an unpleasant piece of work but brilliant in potions."

"He's still an unpleasant piece of work." Bill chuckled, "And he's still a brilliant potion master. But he works in research in the Department of Mysteries. He only has contact with other potion masters. I can't imagine him teaching."

"He was horrific. I'm really glad to not have him teaching anymore." Ginny smile brightly.

"What did you think of our DADA professor?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Remus is fantastic as always. I mean Professor Lupin is fantastic as always." Ginny laughed, "I wish he had been our defense professor longer. I knew him well because he was always checking up on Harry."

"How long was he your professor?" Fred asked.

"Only one year." Ginny grimaced, "The position was cursed back home. At the end of every year the professor left, sometimes they left on their own, some were asked to leave and some died."

"Why did Professor Lupin leave?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure I should say." Ginny looked at her father wide eyed, "I guess you could say it had to do with his health."

"We all know he was a werewolf." Arthur grinned, "But since he was cured…"

"Cured! You have a cure for it?" Ginny was flabbergasted.

"Yes some twelve or so years ago wasn't it Molly?" Arthur asked, "I take it your world didn't have a cure?"

"No all we had was wolfsbane." she replied, "Snape invented it."

"He invented it here too." Bill chuckled, "I can tell you he was a bit unhappy when Lily used it to find the cure. He was planning on getting rich from selling his potion. He hasn't spoken to Lily since she changed it, she doesn't charge. Now wolfsbane is banned because only the ones who want to stay werewolves want it and the use it to hurt people."

"Figures, Greyback would have loved to use it like that." Ginny mumbled darkly.

"Figures he would still be around." Bill said crossly, "He tried to attack me a few years ago. I was working on a tomb that the pack wanted to get stuff from. Evidentially it housed the person who turned the first wolf. They wanted the information out of the tomb to see if they could negate Lily's potion. We were able to stop them but he tore up several people. Those scars don't heal."

"I know." Ginny sniffed a little, "In my world he worked for the dark wizard. And you were hurt in one battle. Didn't change Fleur's mind though she thought it showed your bravery."

"Who's Fleur?" Bill asked.

"Your wife, Fleur Delacour." Ginny chuckled trying to hold back the tears, "You were married the summer between my fifth and sixth years."

"French?" Bill asked, "Did I meet her in Egypt or France?"

"At Hogwarts." Ginny said, "During my third year they had a tri-wizard tournament. She was the Beauxbatons champion."

"Why was I at Hogwarts for that?" Bill was confused.

"Well one of the dark wizards followers put Harry's name in the cup and confounded the thing to spit out Harry's name as a student from a fourth school." Ginny scowled at the thought then shook it away and said, "Anyway on family day Harry didn't have anyone so you and Mum came to be his stand in family. For Fleur it was love at first sight."

"I can see myself doing that. Harry's an alright kid." Bill smiled, "Sounds like he had a hard life there."

"And I don't know the half of it." Ginny reminisced, "I'm told his relatives were the worst kind of muggles. If they had been around at the time I know they would have joyfully joined in the witch burnings in Salem."

"That sounds about right." Molly said darkly, "Lily doesn't talk about them but I've heard plenty from James."

"So are you looking forward to school?" Arthur decided to change to a lighter subject.

"Yes it will be fun." Ginny said, "It will be weird having classes with Ron though."

"I hadn't thought of that." Ron said, "That will be weird. But Harry will be happy."

"Harry?" Charlie asked, "Why would that make him happy?"

"He thinks she's pretty." Ron grinned ready for the teasing to start.

"Are we going to have to do something to remind him to behave?" George asked.

"Doubt it." Ginny said, "He already knows you've taught me everything you know. And I'm not afraid to use it. Besides, just because he thinks I'm pretty doesn't mean I'll worship the ground he walks on. My Harry was a very different person and I'm not sure he'll measure up."

"He's got his work cut out for him then." Fred grinned.

"Not sure he'll do anything about it anyway." Ron said, "You remember the number Cho did to him. I'm glad she'll be gone in six months."

"What did the hose pipe do now?" Ginny asked.

"Hosepipe?" Ron asked.

"Cried all the time. She was dating a boy when he died during the tournament." Ginny stated, "Harry saw him die and every time she saw Harry after that she'd start crying. But yet she wanted to date Harry so it was a real mess. He finally broke it off after she went hysterical when he wanted to have lunch with Hermione one day."

"Wow that's terrible." Ron said, "Here she was very controlling and didn't want him to talk to anyone, not even me. She even caused a huge row between him and Rose. They had been dating for a few months when Rose overheard her boasting in the common room. She told Harry what was said and when he approached Cho about it she lied and said Rose didn't hear the whole conversation so she took it out of context. Then Cho started messing with Rose. It finally blew up maybe a week before you got here. Rose was trying to tell Harry her suspicions about Cho and the idiot interrupted. Cho gave him an ultimatum quit talking to Rose or quit dating her. He said no contest then turned to Rose and asked how has your day been. Cho stormed off in a huff and has been making life miserable for Rose every since."

"Oh I think I can help with that." Ginny said, "Try to fix her and Michael Corner up. They were dating last time I saw them. It was a great match two horrible people being together."

"I didn't know Corner was that bad." Ron stated.

"Maybe he isn't here, but I dated him for a while before I got with Harry and he was a louse." Ginny said, "We were fine until he tried to control who I talked to and did things with. I dumped him when he tried and then he went crying to Cho. She was upset because Harry beat her to the snitch again."

"He is good. McGonagall wanted him to be seeker first year but his Mum made them wait until third year." Fred sighed sadly.

"No one stopped him in my world. He won almost every game. If he was conscious he had the snitch." Ginny grinned, "I hated having to sub for him when he couldn't play, I'm an ok seeker but I just prefer chaser."

"You play?" Ron perked up, "Any good?"

"I like to think so." Ginny grinned, "I haven't played in a while."

"Did the war stop quidditch?" Bill asked surprised.

"No, I was banned." she grinned

"What did you do?" Molly asked concerned.

"Things were bad. Dumbledore in my world had died. Voldemort, that's the dark wizard's name, infiltrated the school. I refused to do some of the spells they wanted to teach us so that was my punishment." Ginny grimaced.

"What did they want to teach you?" Arthur asked.

"Dark arts." Ginny said, "They tried to make students curse other students who had detention. If you refused you got detention. I never used dark arts. When they saw the other punishments didn't change my behavior they took away quidditch. Still didn't change anything to me but they got the satisfaction of winning the quidditch cup. After I was banned they banned all the other good players so they were sure to win."

"You want to play a friendly game among family?" Ron asked, "Gryffindor could use a good player."

"Sure how do you want to do this?" She asked.

"Me, Fred and Charlie against you, Bill and George. We'll have two chasers and a keeper on each team." Ron suggested, "Sound fair?"

"I guess." she replied, "Let me get my broom."

"Here it is Missy." Cookie said handing over the broom, "I unshrinked it for yous. It be polished and ready. Beat them good."

"I'll do my best Cookie, thanks." Ginny hugged the elf then turned to her brothers, "What are you waiting for?"

Her brothers raced out to the broom shed, gathered the equipment and headed to the orchard. Arthur, Molly and Percy joined them and happily watched the game. It was evident that Ron was the far better keeper but Ginny was the best chaser in the family so the score was even when they called it to a stop.

Once on the ground Ron picked up Ginny and twirled her around, "Harry's going to be so happy. We finally have a chaser worth a darn for next year. We only have Katie Bell right now but she'll be gone next year. That was great."

"No doubt, we know she's a Weasley with those flying genes." George said, "I've never seen Ron struggle so much to save goals. You really gave him a work out."

Ginny basked in the praise of her brothers. She grinned at Fred as he massaged his shoulder while he walked past. He had tried to block her and she had nearly knocked him off his broom. He had expected her to swerve around him but she didn't play that way. She had lowered her head and shouldered him out of the way. She had made that goal because Ron was shocked and didn't react to her advancing so she took advantage of it. It had put them in the lead and the other team had to play catch up the rest of the time.

"Any injuries dears?" Molly asked.

"None on me Mum." Ginny grinned, she would fix her bruised shoulder later when Fred couldn't see her. Fred growled as his mother pulled him aside to fix the bruise Ginny had given him. Later she had Ron rolling on the floor when she asked him to help her heal the bruise since she couldn't reach it. She had only asked after first making him promise not to tell the others. This version of Ron, she realized, was quickly becoming her best friend. She almost cried thinking this was how it was before Hogwarts.


	6. Chapter 6

The Weasley's had been invited to the Potter's home for New Year Eve. When Ginny found out it was a formal affair she tried to get out of going. She didn't have formal robes and Madam Malkin's would not be open.

Once Ron found out the problem he said, "Come with me. I'm headed over to Harry's house this morning and I was going to invite you along. I'm sure Rose has something you could use."

"But…" Ginny tried to get out of it but Ron drug her down and yelled at their Mum that the two of them were headed to the Potter's. He nearly shoved her into the floo and yelled their address.

She stumbled as she arrived and fell into someone. Ron arrived a few seconds later as she was still trying to get her bearings, "Thanks Ron."

He chuckled and said to someone else, "She didn't want to come uninvited so I had to shove her into the floo."

By this time she was standing and glaring at her brother. She finally turned to thank her savior and came face to face with Harry. She blushed but said, "Thanks."

"Glad you could come over." he grinned.

She was starting to get flustered by his closeness when Rose stepped in to save her, "Where are your robes? You're not going back home to change later are you?"

"She doesn't have any formal robes." Ron supplied.

"Oh, I have just the thing." Rose squealed and then grabbed Ginny's arm, "Come on I'll show you. Mum can you come too you may need to adjust the size or something."

Lily shook her head and laughed but followed the girls up to Rose's room. Ron and Harry wandered off to help James set up things for the party. Ginny was floored when Rose drug her out of the room they had entered and into an enormous entry way. She was still gaping when she was drug up the beautiful main staircase and into another hallway. She was beginning to get a sore arm when they finally reached Rose's room.

"Wow this is beautiful." Ginny exclaimed at the room. She looked around the blue room and noticed many beautiful things, "This is a cool room."

"Thanks. This was Grandpa's room when he was young. "Rose said off handedly as she searched the closet, "Sometimes I hate living here. But I always enjoy coming back after a stay at Hogwarts. My own home will be much smaller."

Ginny was still off kilter from her entrance when she landed practically at Harry's feet. And he saved her from falling on her face.

"Thinking about Harry?" Rose giggled.

Ginny blushed and said, "I was just thinking how he saved me from a face plant. My hero." as she said it she folded her hands over her heart and fluttered her eyes.

"I've caught him with a dreamy look on his face now and then." she giggled, "I think he likes you."

"Ron said so too." Ginny said then frowned, "He told me about Cho the hag. She was similar back home."

"Well let me tell you if that hag doesn't lay off me she's going to pay." Rose growled.

"Can I help?" Ginny grinned evilly.

"After what you did to your brothers, I'll get on my knees and beg if you want." Rose chirped.

A knock at the door ended the conversation and Lily walked in, "What are you thinking of putting her in?"

"I had several ideas. What do you think about…" Ginny was at the mercy of Rose and Lily for the next hour. She tried on several dresses before they found one that they all agreed on. Lily left the girls to finish setting up for the party. They spent the rest of the morning chatting and experimenting with their hair and makeup. At lunch they received another visitor. Hermione Granger came for the party and would stay until the start of school.

Ron and Harry had been talking with her since her arrival but when the girls emerged she left them to hug Rose and be introduced to Ginny. The entire group chatted about their time at school through lunch and had a great time. The first thing that hit Ginny about Hermione was her hair. It wasn't quite as bushy as she remembered. The second thing that hit was that nothing else was really different. She had even had many misadventures with Ron and Harry, just not quite as dangerous as the ones her trio had encountered.

After lunch Hermione agreed to joined Ginny and Rose for more girl stuff. Lily admonished them not to put too much makeup on or she would remove it and they wouldn't wear any to the party.

"Ron told me you're a cousin of his." Hermione said, "I'm sorry to hear about your parents."

"Thanks." Ginny grinned, "It was a shock for a while but I'm starting to adjust now. School will be different for me.

"Why?" she asked.

"She was home schooled." Rose said, "Can you believe it. I think it's so odd not being around forty other kids learning the same thing."

"Did they prepare you well for the OWLs?" Hermione asked, "How could one teacher get you all the information on all the different classes?"

"I had some older relatives that helped in the areas my parents weren't the best in." Ginny said.

Ginny was glad Dumbledore had made her go over her cover story front and back. Hermione would be the first to detect any holes in it. The one thing she had decided was to stay away from the details of her so called life. She couldn't lie about her feelings for her Harry. It was obvious that she had a boyfriend that meant a lot to her, but it was equally obvious he wasn't in the picture any longer. The day stretched on and they finally started getting ready for the party. Ginny still wasn't sure if she really liked the outfit but they both assured her it looked great.

"You are going to blow him away." Rose stated patting the last of Ginny's hair in place.

"Stop." Ginny admonished, "I'm not sure I want him to be blown away."

"No she wants to keep him very close." Hermione giggled.

"No would you please stop." Ginny reddened, "I'm not ready for another boyfriend. My last one was..."

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Not intentionally." Ginny curled into a ball for a moment before continuing, "I'm just not sure I'm ready to move on. I don't know if I'll ever get over him. And I don't want to use Harry to do it."

"Good." Rose said, "Now I know you'll be good for him."

"Just take it one step and a time." Hermione said, "See if you like talking to him."

"I do like talking to him." She said, "I'm just not ready for the next step."

By the time the party started Ginny decided it was the most girly day she had ever been a part of and she loved it. It was nothing like the girls at home that were condescending in their advice. She had ignored them and did her best on her own. Harry had always said she was beautiful without any makeup and that when she dressed up she was devastating to his senses. She certainly missed her Harry.

"It's time to go down." Rose said, "I want to go first because I want to see Harry's face when he sees you."

"Rose." Ginny whined.

"Forget it; I want to see this too." Hermione said, "Give us time to get to the bottom of the stairs and then follow."

"Exactly." Rose said, "Harry, Mum and Dad are there to meet guests and I have to join them. Just do it please, as a favor to me? I'll let you have the first idea for pranking Cho."

"Fine but you'll have to do the work for the prank and take the fall alone if it crashes." Ginny grumbled.

"Deal." Rose squealed and drug Hermione out the door.

Ginny paced nervously for several seconds then glanced out the door. Hermione and Rose were just starting down the staircase. She waited several more seconds and then started.

"Rose darling where's Ginny?" James asked.

"She's just finishing up. I told her I needed to be down on time to meet guests and she told me to go ahead." Rose fibbed, "She shouldn't be but a few seconds behind us."

Harry was standing beside his father, farthest from the stairs. He had just leaned forward to greet Hermione when Ginny reached the top of the stairs and started down. Ginny had looked down so that she wouldn't miss the first step so she didn't see his face right away but she heard a gasp. She looked up from the step to see what was going on and found herself to be the center of attention. She gripped the banister more tightly and looked back at her feet deciding now was not the time to take a fast trip down the stairs.

Rose was delighted at Harry's response. His gasp of surprise pretty much let everyone know he was caught off guard. But it was his open mouthed staring that let them know he was already head over heels for this girl. It saddened Rose to know he would be fighting a memory of himself to win this girl. But she would be worth it Rose was sure.

"Harry shut your mouth you'll be catching flies." Lily said.

He nodded mutely in response but didn't close his mouth. She bumped her husband and nodded towards their son. He grinned at the expression of shocked admiration on Harry's face but then reached forward and pushed his chin up. This action effectively woke Harry up from his stupor.

He looked at his father noting that the man was highly amused and then leaned towards him and said, "I'm never going to survive this evening. If she doesn't kill me for staring Ron will."

"I keep telling you it's the red heads to watch out for." James chuckled, "I told you they'd be the death of you."

"I just didn't understand what you meant." Harry breathed, "I do now."

By this time Ginny had reached the last step and Rose met her with a hug and a whisper, "It was even better than I thought. Dad had to close his mouth for him." Hermione slipped away to the ballroom as the other two girls hugged.

"Thank you for inviting me and letting me borrowing your clothes." Ginny said as she pulled from the hug.

"No problem. Harry would you mind showing Ginny the way to the ballroom?" Rose smirked at Ginny.

"Sure, this way." Harry put out an arm for Ginny to hold and walked her to the room in question. Neither said anything as they walked but Harry was staring and Ginny was trying not to.

"There you are." Ron said, "I thought you might have gotten lost."

"No just slow to get ready." Ginny smiled at her brother, "I'm still not sure about these dress robes."

"You look very beautiful in them." Harry said and the blushed and stammered, "I've got to get back to umm greet the guests. Bye." He quickly turned and walked away.

After he was out of sight Ron chuckled and said, "Let me show you around."

"I'm glad you can laugh about this." Ginny grinned, "My Ron got all mad and stammered. I like this response better so don't change."

"I won't." Ron grinned, "I like the affect you have on him. I've never seen him anything but cool and in control. It's nice to know he can get as flustered as I can."

Hermione was giggling madly. She had to hold onto Ron's arm to keep standing upright. After she got control she said to Ron, "You should have seen it. He was so caught when she started down the stairs. He had just hugged me and was pulling away when Ginny came into view. He gripped my arm to help keep himself upright. He didn't let go until his Dad pushed his jaw closed."

"Did you tell her?" Ron whispered his question as Hermione turned away to wave at another friend.

"No. I wasn't sure I should." Ginny replied.

"I think you should. Do it tonight after the party. You're staying over aren't you?"

"Yes Mum is bringing my overnight bag that you didn't give me time to pack this morning." Ginny grumbled.

"You would have taken too long." Ron stuck he tongue out.

Finally all the guests arrived and the party started rolling. First was food and then dancing. Many kids from school were there with their families and they all stopped to say hello to the group. Several girls were giving Ginny disdainful looks because Harry was sitting next to her and Ron was on her other side. When she was introduced as Ron's cousin some of the mean looks disappeared, but not the majority of them.

When the dancing started Harry asked her right away. Her Harry couldn't dance so she was curious to see if having a mother around had changed that. To her pleasant surprise it had. This she thought was a memory that couldn't be tainted by the other world. She enjoyed herself immensely and even danced with several of her brothers, her father, James, Sirius and Remus. When Ron claimed the next dance he was almost laughing.

"What's so funny." she asked.

"Harry. He's all mad because the other boys are all looking at you." Ron chuckled, "I've heard a few dare each other to ask you to dance."

"Try to discourage them will you." Ginny said

"Actually I don't have to." Ron grinned, "Harry just glared at them for a few minutes and they shut up. But he's still mad about it."

"Are you going to ask Hermione for the midnight dance?" Ginny tried to get the subject off her and Harry.

"Yes." Ron turned a little pink, "I'm hoping she'll agree to it."

"I believe she will." Ginny said, "She talked very positively about you. I think she likes you."

"Harry's going to ask you." Ron said, "If you don't want to encourage him you should tell him you're too tired to dance anymore."

"I think I'll dance." Ginny blushed, "Mine couldn't. It's nothing tied back to that place and I'm enjoying it. Mine's been gone for almost two months and I still think it's too quick to have a boyfriend. A friend would be ok for now. For anything else as long as he goes slow I think I can like him for him not for the other one."

"That's important." Ron agreed solemnly.

When the dance was over Ginny said, "It's getting close to midnight I think I need to rest for a few dances if I'm going to dance again at midnight."

"I'll escort you back to the table shall I?" Ron took her arm, "Then I can ward off all the intruders."

"Sounds good." Ginny grinned.

Just as she sat down in the chair Harry arrived with punch, "Thirsty?"

"Yes, thanks a lot." Ginny smiled and sipped her drink. Behind her back and over her head Ron nodded but mouthed 'slow'.

Harry got the hint not to move on her too fast. He sat beside her and asked, "Are you having fun?"

"Yes it's been great." Ginny smiled, "I can't remember the last time I had this much fun off the pitch."

"Quidditch pitch?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I can't believe I forgot to tell you." Ron smacked himself on the forehead, "She's a great chaser. In a three on three game the teams tied. I had Fred and Charlie, she had Bill and George."

"George was keeping?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

"And you tied?"

"Yes, that's what I said." Ron replied.

"Are you willing to play?" Harry asked.

"I don't want to make someone lose their position." Ginny said, "I'd love to play but not at someone else's expense."

"I think we can work with that." Harry said, "Seamus has been grounded off the team because his grades dropped. I've been really worried about filling the position."

"That's ok then." Ginny smiled.

Just before the last dance started Seamus stopped by, "I talked to Nev and he said he'd do it if you can't find another."

"Tell him not to worry I've found someone." Harry said, "I'll do introductions at the first practice, until then I want to keep it a secret."

"I got you, a secret weapon to kill the Slytherins with." Seamus grinned, "Can I come watch at least. Maybe I can give him some pointers."

"Sure give him pointers." Ron snickered under his breath. After he left Ron said, "He'll be giving Seamus pointers."

"You're going to have fun with that right?" Ginny said, "I don't need to tell you all the black mail material he just gave you."

"I got it." Ron laughed, "Hermione would you dance this dance with me?"

"Ron, it's the midnight dance." Hermione replied.

"I know." Ron smiled softly.

"Oh, ok then." Hermione blushed as Ron helped her to her feet.

"Finally." Harry whispered, "I thought he'd never get around to doing that. Will you dance this one with me?"

"Yes." Ginny answered just as quietly. Harry helped her stand and led her to the floor. Several adults smiled at the two sets of teens that took to the floor. Several girls weren't happy at all, though they were soon distracted by other suitors. The dance was a long slow dance that ended with fifteen seconds left until midnight.

"Would it be moving too fast if I asked to kiss you at midnight?" Harry asked as the countdown started.

"Yes. But it would be ok for you to kiss my cheek." Ginny smiled. When it reached midnight everyone began to cheer and kiss. Harry leaned over and kissed her cheek and she returned it then whispered, "Friends for now, maybe more later after I get to know you ok?"

"Deal." Harry grinned, then turned slightly and started clapping and cheering for the New Year.

The party started to break up and Molly caught up to Ginny and pulled her aside, "I saw that kiss. I think it was very sweet."

"We've agreed to be friends… for now." Ginny blushed lightly.

"Good idea." Molly then pulled a small bag out of her pocket. She enlarged it and handed it to Ginny and said, "Good night. See you tomorrow sometime?"

"Ok. Do you think it would be ok to tell Hermione?" Ginny moved to follow Rose and Hermione up the stairs.

"Yes. She's a good girl. I trust her." Molly stated with a nod.

"I'm going to do it tomorrow." Ginny said, "Rose, Ron and Harry will help."

"As will James and Lily." Molly agreed as she left, "Call me if you need to though."

By the time the girls had changed and got settled it was almost two in the morning. Sleep overtook them and the morning seemed to follow far too quickly.

"Girls get up its ten already." Lily chided gently. All three girls moaned so Lily mentioned, "I've made brunch and I'm going to wake the boys. If you don't hurry there won't be anything left."

Three girls sat up quickly and got ready for the day. The boys beat them but there was still food left. After the food was gone and the mess cleaned Ginny approached Lily.

"I want to tell Hermione." she stated, "Will you and Mr. Potter help us?"

"Let's move to the library." she suggested, then louder she said, "Everyone to the library."

Everyone shuffled off to the library including Sirius and Remus. At Ginny's questioning look Harry whispered, "Dumbledore told them a few days ago. They were away when you arrived. Dad won't keep unnecessary secrets from them."

"Did your Dad ever have a friend named Peter Pettigrew?" Ginny asked.

"Yes." Harry grimaced, "He turned out to be a rat. He tried to get Auror information out of Dad so he could run his little illegal business. He never got it and when Dad busted his ring he realized what had been happening. Furious is the mildest term I'd use for his blow up."

Once settled in the library James started, "Hermione everyone knows this secret except you. Your friends didn't want to lie to you but Ginny didn't know you and needed to be sure first. That being said the lie you've been told is that Ginny is Ron's cousin."

"She's not?" Hermione asked, "But they even look alike."

"Alike enough to be brother and sister." Ginny said, "Except he doesn't have one here. He had one in another world though and that's where I'm from."

"Huh?" she asked confusedly.

"She took a potion in another world and it sent her hear." Lily said, "Her world was nearly destroyed by an evil wizard. And in that world all her family died."

"And friends." Ginny added.

"Is this even possible?" Hermione asked, "I've never read anything about it."

"It's possible and it happened." Ginny declared, "I only found it in one book and I've never seen this book any other place. It showed up when I needed it. I think it came to me. I don't think I would have survived in that world."

"You lost your family? All of them?" Hermione asked.

"All six of my brothers and my parents." Ginny said.

"And a boyfriend." Hermione stated.

Ginny nodded and Harry said, "It was another version of me. So if I'm going to win the girl I have to fight myself. We've agreed to be friends for now."

Ginny blushed brilliantly and ducked her head. It took a long time to convince Hermione it wasn't a prank but once convinced she adapted quickly, "Actually this makes a lot of sense. I understand your dilemma better now. And of course I can keep it a secret."


	7. Chapter 7

Several days later Ginny found the train ride back to Hogwarts interesting. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny had gotten a compartment together. The first interesting thing was Neville.

He came into the compartment and fell against Harry then said, "Sorry I couldn't make it to your party."

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Double T got sick." he sighed, "We actually spent the night at St. Mungo's. No fun."

"Bad luck." Harry said, "Did you have a happy Christmas?"

"Yes it was great until New Years." Neville said, "How about you guys? Why didn't you ride the train home?"

"Oh right I forgot." Ron said, "Neville Longbottom this is my cousin Ginny Weasley."

"Oh, hi, I didn't see you. Harry must have been hiding you." Neville held out his hand to shake.

Ginny shook his hand and said, "Nice to meet you. Do you mind if I ask who is Double T?"

"My twin sisters, Alice and Marie. I call them Double T short for double trouble." Neville grinned, "You'll understand when you meet them."

"If they're anything like Fred and George I already understand." Ginny laughed.

"I'd swear if mine weren't ten years younger they would have been quads." Neville grinned then bumped Harry's hip, "Scoot over would you. I doubt she'll bite you too hard."

Harry blushed lightly but gave Neville some room by scooting closer to Ginny. She could tell he was trying to be polite but the closeness was making him uncomfortable. Ginny looked at him and smiled then reached over and patted his arm. He relaxed a little and fell back into the conversation.

A few minutes later Dean opened the door, "Have you guys seen Seamus?"

"No." Hermione responded, "Take a seat he'll find us soon."

Ron and Hermione made room and when Seamus found them after a few minutes he squeezed in on their side too. It was only thirty minutes later when Rose stopped in.

"Budge up will you." she said to Neville, "How'd you get stuck in the corner Gin?"

"Just lucky I guess." Ginny replied sarcastically. By this time she was touching Harry from shoulder to foot. Her shoulders were starting to ache being smashed between Harry and the window so she whispered to Harry, "Would you put your arm behind me, I'm feeling a bit squished."

He blushed lightly but complied with her request quite happily. The conversations were happening around them but they had kind of fallen out of them. Within ten minutes both were sound asleep. Hermione gave them a little while to make sure they were both out and then motioned to Rose. All conversations stopped as the group looked at the couple.

"They are so cute together." Rose whispered, "My job is done for the day. See you."

After she left the Neville, Seamus and Dean looked at Hermione for an explanation, "Ginny's parents were killed in an accident and she's now living with Ron's family. She lost a boyfriend recently too. She isn't ready for another relationship but Harry likes her and she likes him. Rose is trying to help them along."

"He needs something good after Cho-ho." Dean stated.

"Speaking of her." Hermione giggled, "Ginny's going to help Rose on that front. She has some… ideas."

"Tell us." was the triple request.

"Not now. It's a long story and would get you laughing to loud." Ron grinned, "I want to let her sleep, she didn't sleep well last night, too worried about today."

"She was home schooled before." Hermione added.

The trio of boys nodded and quietly slipped off to find a place they could be louder. Nearly an hour went by before Harry and Ginny woke up. When they did they were both embarrassed. In their sleep they had curled close together. For Harry he had one arm around her shoulders pulling her towards him the other was across her legs holding them in his lap. Ginny still had her bum on the seat but her back was to the window with her head resting on his shoulder and her legs across his lap. They untangled themselves and scooted apart.

"Where did everyone go?" Harry asked.

"They didn't want to wake you up so they left."Hermione said as the couple yawned and stretched, "Have a nice sleep?"

"Fantastic." Harry said then looked at Ginny both of them blushed spectacularly.

Ron tried hard not to laugh at them but he couldn't hold it in. Ginny was next to start quickly followed by Harry and Hermione. They only got it under control when the trolley lady stopped by their compartment. They were nearing Hogsmeade and had already changed when Draco Malfoy opened the compartment door. Ginny tensed waiting for the scathing remarks to start.

"Potty so sorry I missed the party." He drawled.

"What happened?" Harry asked amicably.

"Dad started too early." he grimaced, "But Mum let me invite a few friends over and kept Dad under lock and key."

"Glad you still got to have fun Draco." Ron nodded to him.

"So who's the other red?" Draco leered.

"My cousin." Ron said, "She's decided to grace Hogwarts with her presence."

"They let you join in the middle of the year?" he questioned.

"Extenuating circumstances." she replied.

He raised an eyebrow but she didn't add to it so he went on, "Ok. Well I should probably get back we'll be there soon. See you. Nice to meet you Ginny."

"Nice to meet you too." she replied.

"Not trying to tell you who to like or not but weren't you a little short with him?" Ron asked.

"Probably, at home he's a class A jerk." Ginny shrugged, "He used to call me Weaslette. I really didn't like him. He tried to hurt my boyfriend quit often."

"He's never tried to hurt anyone here." Harry said, "We're friends just not close ones."

"I believe you." Ginny smiled, "But it may take me some time to adjust."

The feast was the normal return feast up to the point where Ginny was introduced. Albus explained that she was starting due to a death in her immediate family so she shouldn't have to explain to anyone and if Draco had been upset at her brush off this should sooth his feathers. She looked across the room and noticed he was looking at her. His nod let her know he understood and didn't hold it against her. She returned a nod of her own and turned to talk to Harry.

Her first day of classes was a bit of a repeat. The only surprise of the first week was the pleasant potions class. She was really enjoyed it and the instruction was first class. When her potion was perfect she even won ten points for Gryffindor. On their way out of the class Ginny leaned into Harry and whispered that it was the first time she had ever earned points in potions. Her first letter home was a bit of a struggle for her. She didn't know if she should write it to Mum or Molly. In the end she decided it should be Aunt Molly in case anyone saw her writing it.

It was at the end of the first week that a knock on the portrait brought a crying Rose into the Gryffindor common room. Cho was at it again. She had taken her charms homework and she had gotten detention for not turning it in on time. She had found it later that same day lying on a table in the common room. Cho had sneered and said she should be more careful with her homework.

"I have just the idea." Ginny grinned evilly, "Here's what you need to do." She outlined a plan for Rose that had the girl rolling on the floor laughing. Harry was looking at her in awe while Ron and Hermione were giving additional suggestions.

After Rose left Harry pulled Ginny aside, "Why are you doing that?"

"What?" she asked.

"Giving Rose ideas for pranks." Harry said. Ginny sat in the corner and Harry joined her. They leaned their backs against the wall and Ginny turned to face him.

"First because she's trying to hurt Rose and I don't like that. She's two years older so Rose needs heavier guns to take her down. We need to make it bad enough that Cho will not want to mess with her anymore." Ginny pointed out, "And second because Rose wants to get her back for what she did to you and how she tried to come between the two of you. It hurt Rose's feelings when you wouldn't believe her about Cho. But she understands that since she was against you dating Cho from the beginning that you may have had doubts about her behavior."

"Oh." Harry said thoughtfully, "I hadn't thought of that."

"Why did you think I was doing it?" Ginny asked.

"I don't want to say because it was just a thought and I knew it was stupid to begin with." Harry looked sheepish.

"Are you disappointed in my reasoning?" Ginny asked.

"No." Harry stated, "I'm not. I thought… you were doing it for attention. I didn't want to think you were but most girls I've dated they did it for the attention not to date me."

"I understand. My version was going through a similar thing because of that dark wizard." Ginny explained her Harry's issues, "He told me once that all the girls wanted to date The Boy Who Lived not him. They didn't know him and they didn't like him. It was the image they wanted even some of the people who wanted to be his friends were the same. He only had two friends until fifth year when he gained three more."

"That sounds awful." Harry shook his head, "I guess I shouldn't complain."

"You're not complaining. You're explaining." Ginny grinned. They continued to chat and laugh for some time until with a start Ginny realized they were the only ones left in the room. Making a split second decision she turned serious, "Right now I consider you one of my best friends and as such I'm going to tell you a secret."

"Ok." Harry also turned serious.

"I'm scared. I'm scared because I'm forgetting home. I feel like I'm dishonoring their memory because I don't think of them first. When I hear the word Harry, I think of you not mine anymore. When I think of my brothers, I don't immediately think of them as dead, I think of them with pink hair and purple freckles. I feel terrible." Ginny spilled her fears.

"You will never forget the old place or the people that were there." Harry said, "But you are not living there and you shouldn't try to make yourself live there. You should remember them. But not live with them. Live with us."

Ginny hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear, "Thanks that makes me feel better. I'm going to tell you one more fear I have. I've been scared because I like you so much. I was scared that it's not really you I like but my other Harry. But I'm not thinking of him when we talk I'm think of you and our dances. I think of you kissing my cheek and holding me close. I'm still worried about it some but it's getting less. I'm not ready to start dating you yet, but it's closer than it was. Please be patient with me."

"I'd wait for you forever." Harry whispered back, "Take your time I want you to be sure."

"Me too." Ginny kissed his cheek, "It won't take forever. I promise." She stood and walked to the girl's staircase. Pausing she looked back and waved at Harry. She grinned when he was still looking shocked and holding the cheek she had kissed. She was still grinning when she changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed.

"Looks like the talk went well." Hermione whispered as she approached Ginny's bed.

"It did. He was worried about my reason for helping Rose." Ginny smiled, "Once I assured him it was for Rose not attention he was fine."

"It shouldn't have taken three hours to say that." Hermione pushed.

"It didn't we talked about other things too." Ginny blushed, "I kissed his cheek before I left. You may want to see if he's still sitting in the corner."

Hermione slipped out of the dorm and down the stairs. When she returned several minutes later she was grinning, "You've made him a very happy boy."

"Well I'm a pretty happy girl right now." Ginny grinned, "Maybe I'm further along than I thought."

That night Ginny had a very odd dream. She was walking through the grounds of the Harry's home holding his hand. As they walked the dream moved from the nice home to the Hogwarts grounds right after the battle. She dropped Harry's hand and started looking frantically for the old Harry. She found him just like he had been after the battle she grabbed his hand sobbing. But instead of asking her to check if Tom was still alive he grinned at her and said, "It's good you have found love again. Kind of weird that it's still with me but I'm happy for you. He'll love you like I did."

"But how can I leave you like this. I feel terrible about it all." Ginny exclaimed.

"You aren't leaving me. It's a wonderful chance you've been given. I'd be disappointed if you didn't grab onto it with both hands." Harry clutched her hand, "By the way Rose is cool. I'd have loved to have had a sister like that."

"I know." Ginny smiled softly, "She would have challenged you so much. I would have loved to see it."

"You will see it." Harry said. He started disentangling their hands and pointed behind her, "You need to go with him."

Ginny turned to see the current Harry standing behind her. She looked back at the old Harry and said, "I'm going to miss you still."

"I know. I wouldn't expect anything different from you. But no more tears about it." Harry patted her arm.

"I'll try." Ginny said. She then stood up and turned to the new Harry hugging him and burying her face in his robes.

When she woke up the next morning she didn't remember the dream but she was feeling a bit depressed. Hermione pushed her to get ready on time and get out the door to go to breakfast. It wasn't until she was sitting at the table and turned to see Harry and Ron walk in the door that the dream hit her. Being a Hogsmeade day the four had planned on going together but when she remembered the dream it made her change her mind. They were stopped by the door to talk to a few people when Ginny made her decision.

Turning to Hermione she asked, "Would you mind if Harry and I went alone to Hogsmeade today?"

"No." she said, "Are you changing your mind about Harry?"

"I had a dream last night, a very odd one. But it was like my Harry was telling me it was time to move on." Ginny said, "I'm going to tell Harry about it and see what he thinks."

"Great, I'll tell Rose…" Hermione started.

"Don't, I'm not sure what will happen so just wait." Ginny interrupted.

"No, I meant I'll tell Rose that Ron and I are going on a date and leaving you and Harry alone so she won't interrupt you." Hermione grinned, "I think she wants you to get with Harry as much as Harry does."

"No doubt." Ginny laughed.

"What has no doubt?" Harry asked sitting beside Ginny.

"Rose's intentions." Hermione grinned, "Harry would you mind terribly if Ron and I had our first date today instead of going as a group?"

"No that's fine." He replied, "Ginny do you mind just going with me?"

"That's fine." Ginny giggled thinking I like this Hermione.

Behind Harry Ginny could see Ron's question on his face but he shrugged and sat next to Hermione. She leaned over and whispered in his ear for a moment and Ginny watched his face bloom into a happy grin. He then turned and winked at her and started eating breakfast.

"Well." Harry said finishing his breakfast, "Shall we get started? It's cold but it's not snowing or anything."

"Ok, Hermione do you want me to bring your cloak back?" She asked.

"No, I don't want to go out quite this early." she responded.

Rose ran over as Harry and Ginny were leaving the Hall together, "Are we ready, do I need to get my cloak?"

"We've had a slight change of plans." Hermione grinned, "We're sending them on together alone because Ron and I are having our first date."

"Are they going on a date too?" Rose asked hopefully.

"Not that either one of them know about it." Hermione smirked, "Can you find other company on this short a notice?"

"Absolutely." Rose skipped off thinking I'd go alone or just stay in all day to let them have time alone.

Harry and Ginny had grabbed their cloaks and were walking down the path to Hogsmeade. She had made sure no one was around and then told him about her dream.

"So what does it mean?" Harry asked, "I mean I know what I think it means but it may just be wishful thinking on my part."

"I think it was his way of telling me he was ok with me moving on." Ginny took his hand and said, "Me turning to hug you was me agreeing with him."

"Good to know my dream interpretation skills are still spot on." Harry grinned pulling her close and putting his arm around her. He was just leaning down to kiss her when she was hit in the face with a snow ball. They turned to see who had thrown it and came face to face with Cho and her group of friends.

"Stay away from him, he's mine." Cho growled.

"No I don't think he is." Ginny spat back, "He is his own person and can decide for himself what he wants."

"You've been giving him love potion." she replied, "It's the only way he could fall for someone as hideous as you."

Ginny laughed at her, "Is that all the more original you can get. I can come up with much better insults than that. You are so pathetic."

"I'm not pathetic." she glared, "I will be the wife of the Minister of Magic some day and you will be nothing but trash."

"So who are you going to marry that will be minister?" Ginny asked, "Because if they are stupid enough to fall for you I wouldn't think they be smart enough to be Minister."

"Harry's going to be Minister and I'm helping to groom him for it. I won't be denied my future." she was back to growling.

"Have you asked Harry about this?" Ginny had felt him stiffen at Cho's proclamation.

"I don't care what he wants. This is the way it's going to happen. It was in my tarot cards." Cho declared, "He doesn't have a say in it."

"So the cards said Harry would be minister and you would marry him." Ginny tapped her finger on her chin as she peered up at the clouds, "How can your cards show his future?"

"Shut up and just stay away from my man." Cho growled.

"Or what? What will you do if I don't stay away?" Ginny was pushing the girl to do something. She could see Flitwick and McGonagall hurrying closer and they were watching intently. Cho was fuming and Ginny pushed a bit more. She had noticed the girl was wearing heavy makeup and she was trying to cover something, "Harry look at her face. I just gave Rose that spell last night and its already taken effect."

"It has, Rose was right as always, Cho was the one." Harry frowned at Cho and her group, "I can't believe you would steal other people's homework like that. So unRavenclaw."

"She deserved it." Cho said, "And if she doesn't remove this hex I'll make her life miserable."

"No one deserves to have to tolerate your behavior." Ginny pushed, "Or your face so please leave us alone."

"I'll show you." Cho yelled and threw a hex at them.

Ginny was mildly surprised that it was a fairly dark curse but both her and Harry had put up shields so it bounced back and hit Cho instead.

When the teachers arrived a few seconds later Cho was on the ground crying and said, "She cursed me, my friends saw it and can back me up."

"Can you?" Flitwick asked.

The three girls with her nodded and started saying how Ginny was insulting and even threw snowballs at them. Harry and Ginny stood side by side and watched the girls convict themselves. Cho even added the curse that had been placed on her face just because they hated her and were jealous of her beauty. It had gone on for several minutes when McGonagall interrupted them.

"Actually we've been standing behind you for quite some time do you want to change your story?" she asked.

The girls dropped their heads and listened as Flitwick gave them their punishments, "Detention for you three for your outrageous lies. Ms. Change you also have detention for several things. We will be discussing your behavior later. Now what about this curse on your face."

"Rose Potter gave me acne." Cho cried.

"It wasn't Rose it was me." Ginny volunteered, "Someone has been stealing Rose's homework so I helped her charm it. Anyone trying to take it for malicious purposes would get hexed; if they just wanted to see it then they wouldn't be affected. It spells out thief in acne on her forehead and will last for twenty four hours from the time the homework was taken."

"It's going to last until midnight?" Cho yelled.

"Yes."

"Ten points to Gryffindor for inventive use of charms." Flitwick glowed then it turned into a scowl, "And fifty points from Ravenclaw Ms. Change, I am very disappointed in your actions. I'm going to consider expulsion. All of you back to school you lose your privileges today."

They stomped back to school. Cho's friends were sending her very dirty looks. After they were out of earshot Ginny said, "It will only last until noon."

"Ten points to Ravenclaw for Ms. Potter knowing when to seek help from friends." Flitwick said.

Harry snickered and the two professors smiled. McGonagall said, "Well off you go. Don't waste your weekend chatting with us."

"That would never be a waste of time Aunt Minnie." Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and the two ran off.

After they had reached a more secluded spot Harry stopped and turned to Ginny, "Mind if I try this again?"

"Not at all." Ginny reached up as Harry leaned down and they met in a kiss so sweet that they lost all sense of time and place. They didn't feel the cold; they didn't hear the other students walking by just out of sight. They definitely didn't hear Rose's giggles as she stumbled into their hidden place. They pulled apart slowly and held each other close.

"Wow." Harry said.

"Wow." Ginny agreed.


	8. Epilogue

Lily was reading the letters they had received from school. Rose's was very upbeat but didn't really tell her why until she reached the end of the letter. It said, Ginny helped me with my Cho Chang problem and it is gone. She is really good. Slightly confused she sat it down and read Harry's letter. It was normal talking about classes and friends and things. At the end almost as an afterthought he said, Ginny and I are dating now, it's a long but interesting story I'll tell you at Easter break.

Both letters left her wondering what exactly was going on at Hogwarts. She had two more letters to read so she picked up the one from Harry's head of house first. For once it was a complimentary letter stating his good choices in the face of hostility. It also said how she had almost witnessed the first kiss but found out later that it had indeed happened. It was a happy Lily that started on the letter from Rose's head of house. It was also complimentary on her behavior and her choice of how she found the culprit to her homework problem. He then outlined the discipline he was using for those who had wronged her.

"Ms. Chang and her friends are serving detention with Mr. Filch all day on Sunday for their malicious behavior at Hogsmeade. Furthermore Ms. Change has had all privileges removed and will be serving detention for four hours every weekend until the end of term. We do not take the deliberate attack on a student lightly. And for a Ravenclaw having their homework attacked is worse than a physical attack.

Ms. Potter is being given full marks for all the homework that went missing before and after Christmas. I removed fifty house points for Ms. Chang's behavior and I awarded Ms. Potter ten points. I wanted to add more but it would have been counterproductive to Ms. Chang's punishment.

Feel free to speak with me about this situation at any time. Ms. Chang's parents were also notified of this incident. Have a pleasant day."

Lily smiled and thought, just what I needed an excuse to go to school, "James we need to go to Hogwarts today."

"On a Sunday? What did they do?" James sounded resigned.

"Actually ours were good." Lily said back then muttered, "For a change."

"That's a change of pace." James entered the room, "So why do we have to go to Hogwarts?"

"Well technically we don't have to." Lily countered, "But we can and it looks like Harry and Ginny have gotten together and I want to get the story."

"Really?" James asked sullenly, "That's great." at Lily's questioning look he said, "It took me so long to get you I was kind of hoping it would take him a little longer." Lily laughed so hard she fell off her chair. James joined her on the floor and pulled her close, "I'm glad you're enjoying my pain."

"But you shouldn't be in pain." Lily kissed him, "Besides you got me that's all that matters."

Later in the Headmasters office Albus, James and Lily were joined by Minerva and Filius. They discussed what had happened then they went to find their children. They found Rose just coming in the front doors with snow in her hair.

"Mum Dad what are you doing here?" Rose asked.

"We've been meeting with your head of house." Lily said, "Good job."

"Thanks, do you want the scoop on Harry and Ginny now?" Rose asked.

"Yes." James stated. They spent the next half hour in the Great Hall discussing the couple and everything Rose had heard, even things Harry told her. "This is going to be very interesting to watch." James concluded when she was done.

"I didn't do it." Harry said as he walked hand in hand with Ginny into the Great Hall.

"You know that's as good as admitting guilt." Ginny told him.

"I know." Harry grinned at her.

"So it's all true then?" Lily indicated their clasped hands.

"Well if you heard I finally got the girl then you heard right." Harry sighed looking at Ginny who grinned back at him happiness evident on both faces.

**The events that happened just after Ginny and Cookie disappeared from the previous world.**

"She's gone." Mark stated with a sigh, "This is a grave loss for our world."

Flitwick was waving his wand madly. He checked for all kinds of things hoping that this wasn't a plot just to hurt Ginny. In the end he found nothing of evil intent. There was no residue from the potion. He flicked his wand and a silvery substance flew out and disappeared out the doors of the Great Hall.

It took twenty minutes but Kingsley arrived at the Hall to see the mess. He immediately ran a series of detection spells to find out what had happened. He also took time to read the note Ginny had left.

"I think she must have failed." Flitwick said, "The catastrophe was not averted."

"Do we know any potion masters that could check this out?" Kingsley asked.

"Snape hasn't regained consciousness yet." Mark stated, "I don't know how he lived when all others with the dark mark died. I think he may still be fighting the pull. We were going to try and remove or alter the mark in the morning. Can you put a stasis charm on the room?"

"Good idea, I'll seal the room too." Flitwick stated, "I'll send everyone to the kitchens for breakfast. I better warn the Elves."

The next morning Mark was able to alter Snape's mark enough that he went from fighting for his life to resting though he still didn't wake up. It took four days for him to regain consciousness and additional three days before Mark allowed him up to look at the room.

"The residue is similar to one I've read about in a very obscure potion text." Snape said, "It was supposed to be able to send you back in time one month. But no one ever believed it was anything but a myth. It was said to require the blood from two wizards that had survived the catastrophe without injury. But there is only residue of one blood type and then something else that's magical but different."

"She took her elf with her." Mark said, "Could that be the different substance? Elf blood?"

"I would need a sample from another elf to be sure." Snape said, "But that would alter the potion to such an extent that I doubt time travel would be the result."

"Any idea what the result would be?" Flitwick asked.

"Anything from traveling forward instead of backward to physically moving you somewhere else like an alternate reality." Snape said, "I really wouldn't be able to even guess. Are you sure Ginny Weasley did this? She really wasn't that great at potions."

"She did." Mark said and turned to leave the room whispering to himself, "I wish she would have stayed, I would have made sure she was taken care of."

When Mark returned to his office he opened the drawer on his desk and pulled out a photograph in a frame. He looked sadly at the young woman with red hair. He placed the photo on his desk and sighed and then said to himself, "We would have been good together. I could have made you happy."


End file.
